The Trouble with Muggles
by calico-tabby
Summary: What happens when you sneak a muggle into the Hogwarts? Chaos happens, and the weirdest tales takes place. cross-over- Lord of the Rings
1. The Trouble with Muggles

*NOTE* I don't take any responsibility for any of these characters. These characters are not mine, but mostly taken from J.K. Rowlings Harry Potter series, as well as a few added of my own. Enjoy. OOO!!! Reviews! I can always use some reviews...  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LORD OF THE RINGS ROCKS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Dean Thomas clapped his sister Anna on the back for the third time that night.  
  
"Congrat's on becoming a Griffindor!" he said again.  
  
Anna looked at him and gave him the evil eye; green eyes meeting brown.  
  
"Do that again, and you'll be sorry."  
  
"Well, I've missed having you to bug. And now, thanks to the sorting hat, I won't have to worry about being bored."  
  
"Just because I'm in the fourth year at Hogwarts does not mean that I have to take the pranks that you 6th years so childishly play," she said, twirling a piece of her shoulder-length blonde hair around her index finger. "I'm going to bed."  
  
"BUT THE PARTY'S DOWN HERE! You never go to bed early! What's wrong with you?"  
  
"Nothing- HALF- Brother. I'm just tired." With that said, Anna went up the stairs and sat on the top which enabled her to view the festivities without being seen. How she wished to be down there in the midst of it all. She loved parties. 'No matter,' she thought, 'I have work to do.'  
  
With that thought in mind, she went into the fourth years dormitory and eyed the room cautiously. Empty. 'Good' she thought.  
  
She marched over to her trunk and opened the padlock on it. A muffled mumbling could be heard emerging from underneath the clothing in the cramped trunk. The clothing fell off as a figure sat up cursing in a Canadian accent, gasping for air.  
  
"What took you so damn long?" gasped the figure. "And when was the last time you people aired out that trunk? It smells like Lysol."  
  
"Sorry, Chime. But it was your idea to hide in there in the first place," countered Anna in her equally Canadian Accent. "Besides, I can't very well walk out of the feast saying 'sorry, but my friend is stuck in a trunk in my room. I'll be right back.' It doesn't work that way."  
  
"Well, the least you could have done is given me some food... And I'm betting that you weren't even thinking of me to bring up some of the feast. I'm starving," said Chime, as her stomach agreed with a deep growl. She slowly climbed from the box shakily.  
  
"Oh, You mean this?" said Anna, pulling a few napkin-wrapped packages from under her robe.  
  
"Oh... Thanks," said the brown-haired girl sheepishly as she took the carefully wrapped bundles and sat on Anna's bed. "So what are we going to do, now that I'm in?"  
  
"Well, I thought that you would know what to do, seeing as how it was your idea to come to school with me!" yelled Anna, getting annoyed.  
  
"It's not MY fault that you told me about Hogwarts. It's not MY fault that you told my parents that I ran away."  
  
"All right, all right. Well, you're here, so we can't really do anything about that, but I can't hide you forever. We really didn't think this out. I wonder. They all say that Harry Potter and Dumbledore are close. No one speaks ill of Dumbledore, so I'm wondering if he'd understand? I mean, Dumbledore WAS nice enough to allow me to transfer from BeauxBatons to here, so maybe he won't have a problem with a new student? Maybe he'd let you stay. The most he could do is send you home, but I doubt he'd do that...maybe..."  
  
"Don't be such an ass. He can't send me home. I'm 16."  
  
"So? I'm 15!"  
  
"I'd rather be arrested and sent home than not see this place. He can't take what I'm going to see from me. I still can't believe that you're a witch. I wish I was a witch. Then maybe I'd be able to go places without money or a passport... or maybe I'd zap up some HOT food... Ah the life I'd live."  
  
"Hello? Back to Reality! We have to solve this problem now!"  
  
"Oh. Yeah. Let's go see Dumbledore," an annoyed Chime said. She got up and walking towards the door, opened it and held it open in welcome invitation for Anna to lead the way.  
  
"Good. I just hope that I don't get into too much trouble for any of this," Anna said as she stepped out the door. 


	2. Definite Problems

*NOTE* I don't take any responsibility for any of these characters. These characters are not mine, but mostly taken from J.K. Rowlings Harry Potter series, as well as a few added of my own. Enjoy. OOO!!! Reviews! I can always use some reviews...  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LORD OF THE RINGS ROCKS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Making their way to Dumbledore's office was not the easiest thing to do.  
  
First, they had to distract all the partygoers downstairs. Anna returned downstairs to Dean's dismay and bought a few filibuster fireworks from Ron Weasley. It wasn't hard to find Ron; all you had to do was look for red hair that would most assuredly be seated next to a messy black-haired Harry Potter, and a long haired brunette- Hermione Granger who seemed to have straightened her hair since her last newspaper picture.  
  
Ron was more than happy to assist her with her purchase as she was the first one of the night.  
  
"Fred and George will be so pleased," he said, beaming.  
  
To his surprise, Anna acted like an excited first year and tore open the package the moment that it came to her hands. She immediately took her wand and tapped them so they went off. The whole common room erupted in cheers as she let them go. While keeping the rest of the common room busy, Chime ran down the stairs and into the dim-lighted hallway leading to the portal opening.  
  
Anna, while getting cheers from the other Griffindor students, grabbed Harry Potter and led him to a corner. There, she questioned him of directions to Dumbledore's office and the password.  
  
He answered all her questions with only a suspicious glance to show his surprise. She thanked him and headed out to join Chime. They left, and were soon skulking about the hallways. Harry had cautioned Anna about Mr. Filch and Mrs. Norris, so at every turn, they searched for a sign that they were being watched or followed.  
  
"I wonder," began Chime quietly. "If Mrs. Norris is MRS. Norris, then who's MR. NORRIS?"  
  
Anna stifled a few giggles and croaked out: "Who knows? Maybe it was Peeves."  
  
"Peeves?"  
  
"Oh. Ass of a ghost. Thinks he can outdo the Weasley twins in pranks."  
  
"Oh."  
  
They crept through the halls, stopping only once to duck out of sight when Professor Snape came striding around the corner. He continued walking and soon vanished down the hallway.  
  
"Who's he?" asked Chime, when Snape had gone.  
  
"Professor Snape- Ass monkey man. Makes life a living hell most times."  
  
"Oh. That sucks. He's Hot!"  
  
"What- The- Hell? WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU???!!!!"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"You're insane. All right. Let's go find Dumbledore."  
  
They got to Dumbledore's office without further delay and waited a few moments outside. Harry had told Anna the password from last year, and they wondered if it would still work.  
  
"Lemon Drops."  
  
The door didn't move.  
  
"Shit" they both said in unison.  
  
"My dears, I suppose you'd like to know the new password?" inquired a deep voice behind them.  
  
They both turned around and mouthed the word "Fuck" and quickly clamped their hands over their mouths.  
  
"Well, if you must know, the password is 'Buckland'. Perhaps you should update your sources?" continued the man in white and red robes with gold embroidery.  
  
The statue began to move and the staircase turned into view.  
  
"Perhaps you'd like to go up?" inquired the man, in a voice more commanding than inviting. He raised a white haired brow seemingly to emphasize his point that they should go up.  
  
The girls exchanged their looks of awe for a sigh of resignation and fear and began climbing the circular staircase. 


	3. Surprise in a muggle

*NOTE* I don't take any responsibility for any of these characters. These characters are not mine, but mostly taken from J.K. Rowlings Harry Potter series, as well as a few added of my own. Enjoy. OOO!!! Reviews! I can always use some reviews...  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LORD OF THE RINGS ROCKS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"I have heard of a few disturbances from Mr. Filch about you, Anna," began Professor Dumbledore as he sat in his office chair, gesturing for the girls to seat themselves across from him.  
  
"Professor..." slowly began Anna as Dumbledore raised a wrinkled hand to silence her.  
  
"I had a feeling it would eventually come to this." He looked at each of them in turn and surprisingly, gave them a smile. "It would eventually come the day when a muggle, would come to school."  
  
The girls sat in silence and held back the persistent idea to beg for mercy. Dumbledore rose and came around his desk and sat on the corner staring unblinkingly at Chime.  
  
"Well?" began the headmaster, "What are we to do?"  
  
"Please don't send me home, sir! I didn't mean any harm!" pleaded Chime.  
  
"Send you home? My dear girl, we cannot simply 'send you home'. I'm afraid Anna has not read 'Hogwarts: A History'. If she had, she would know that this muggle would be sitting on a grassy field, and would not be able to see me, or this chamber. Obviously, this muggle has something to do with magic that either Ms. Thomas or I know of."  
  
Anna looked thoughtful for a moment and suddenly lit up and bounced out of her chair. To Chime, she said:  
  
"That explains why you shattered that aquarium at the pet store! Remember PJ's pet store?"  
  
Anna looked positively excited but Chime looked positively green. Dumbledore looked between Chime and Anna and grinned.  
  
"So it would appear that we have a late development in a magic appearance and that I missed one."  
  
Anna gaped at Dumbledore's admission. 'Dumbledore admitted that he was wrong! Holy Shit!' she thought.  
  
"So, professor, does that mean that she's a witch?"  
  
"Well, in a matter of speaking. She has the heart and mentality of one, but she doesn't have the complete powers to be an actual witch – yet! It means she has to go through a training personalized to her."  
  
"Wait- sir? Does that mean she can stay?"  
  
"Well, we can't very well send her home with no control over her the few powers she has!"  
  
"Chime? Do you hear that? You can stay!"  
  
It was at that moment that both Dumbledore and Anna realized that Chime had not spoken a word.  
  
"Chime?" asked Anna, her voice with the trace of panic.  
  
No Answer.  
  
"Chime? Is that your name? Well, I suppose we'll have to find you a place to stay. I can't have you in with the houses- yet, since you can't be sorted due to your- delay in learning the essentials of wizarding magic."  
  
Chime, if it was possible, turned a shade paler.  
  
"Chime?" once again asked her petrified friend.  
  
"I believe that Chime has had a long night for the moment. I have a room, which may be adequate under the circumstances. You will be sharing with another student. Come, let us go. We will inform your parents of your –travels- in the morning where we can sort through a proper solution to your problem. On the way, perhaps you'd like to tell me the story of PJ's Pet store?"  
  
And so, the girls followed Dumbledore out of his office. Chime, still in state of shock, kept quiet while Anna told the tale of the pet store.  
  
"Well, see professor, Chime, Emily, Chris and I went to PJ's Pet store one day- That's in Canada, by the way- and we were just leaving when the shark tank shattered. The baby shark went flying through the air and landed in the sea turtle tank. The owner yelled at us and said we were the cause of the broken glass but it wasn't us, sir! We were leaving but Chime was being all grumpy-"  
  
"I wasn't being grumpy," protested Chime, closing the distance to walk beside Anna. "Actually, I was pissed off about that poor shark- he'd been in there for a few years by then- and they put him by himself. Bastards. I was just being pissed off, and then the glass breaks."  
  
"Curious..." began Dumbledore. "High emotion always seems to complete the appearance of magic."  
  
"Dumbledore, does this make Chime a part-squib?"  
  
"Well, in a matter of speaking- No."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Ah Yes- Chime- is there a last name for you –or is it something like one of those American names such as 'Madonna' or 'Prince'?"  
  
"The name's Sinlar."  
  
"Oh. Well, I suppose that might make it easier." He sounded slightly disappointed. "And how old are you?"  
  
"16, sir."  
  
"Ah, a fifth year, I see. Well, we may discuss the prospects of a class schedule, tomorrow. Ah. Here we are."  
  
They came down a small set of stairs towards the east side of the castle. There, in a portrait on the left, sat a dragon in green sparkly scales, and was accompanied by a knight in armour who sat drinking a cup of tea.  
  
"Good afternoon Tiffany," said Dumbledore to the dragon. "Sir McLan," regarding the knight. "Sasquatch."  
  
The portrait opened up and the girls walked inside, following Dumbledore's red and white flowing robes. They entered a small common room; a fireplace with 2 overstuffed chairs in front. A bookcase stood on the farthest wall and a table with 3 chairs sat at the other end. A stairwell of 3 steps went downward at the far centre of the room.  
  
"This will be your new home," said Dumbledore, as he studied the fire intently.  
  
"Professor," began Chime. "You said I'd be sharing with another student... who's that?"  
  
"Why, Draco Malfoy." 


	4. Mistakes aren't always fun

*NOTE* I don't take any responsibility for any of these characters. These characters are not mine, but mostly taken from J.K. Rowlings Harry Potter series, as well as a few added of my own. Enjoy. OOO!!! Reviews! I can always use some reviews...  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LORD OF THE RINGS ROCKS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Why, Draco Malfoy."  
  
There was an intake of breath as the girls looked around the room, eyeing it with new interest.  
  
"My dad would never let me live with a guy," stated Anna. "Dude, you're lucky."  
  
Dumbledore seemed to be smiling with amusement as the girls studied the book case.  
  
"Well, I will leave you, Ms. Sinlar. We shall have to take a trip to Diagon Alley in the immediate future. Ms. Thomas- there has been a cot set up next to Ms. Sinlar's bed, as I know you will wish to stay. A reminder- please be courteous to your neighbour. I believe he will be up shortly."  
  
With that, Dumbledore began to leave the room.  
  
"Professor?" Dumbledore halted and turned. He said nothing and the silence ate at them.  
  
"Why does Draco Malfoy have no roommate? I thought he was supposed to be in here as Head boy and Girl with Hermione Granger?" cautiously asked Anna.  
  
"In case you've remembered, Ms. Thomas, Hermione has found it too secluded from her fellow Griffindor's. I shall inform Mr. Malfoy of his new roommate."  
  
Once again, he turned and left the common room. The girls looked around again and Chime yawned. Anna looked at Chime and realized that Chime was pale with exhaustion. Without saying a word, she led the near-sleepwalking girl to a room on the left and peeked inside. It was meticulously clean with a large queen-sized bed, silver and purple linens, and a large fireplace. The desk in the corner held a few books and a lamp.  
  
The room was so unbelievably clean; it seemed that no one had ever lived in there. The girls walked in and looked around. As they entered, the air became heated as the fire blazed to life and the girls felt the sleep creep up on them. They soon forgot Dumbledore's words and stretched out on the bed. They were half-asleep when the door burst open and a platinum haired boy stood glaring.  
  
The girls- startled by the sudden outburst- jumped off the bed.  
  
"I hope you have within a good reason to be in my chambers?" Draco Malfoy drawled nastily as he swept into the room.  
  
"I... Chime...new... roommate..." mumbled a yawning Chime.  
  
"She's supposed to take over Hermione's old room, so if you don't mind..." added Anna, giving him the evil eye that she so often practiced.  
  
"I knew I had a new roommate. What I WAS asking, was why is she in my room?" retorted an annoyed Malfoy.  
  
"Oh. Well, we didn't know which room we were in-" began Anna.  
  
"So you thought that you'd simply pick one without consulting the person you'd be honourably rooming with?"  
  
"Well, no..."  
  
"Please exit my chambers at once," he said as he ushered them towards the door. "The moment I want a mudblood to warm my bed, I'll let you know."  
  
With that said, he slammed the door and could be heard cursing.  
  
"For a 6th year, he can really curse!" whispered a drowsy Chime.  
  
Anna simply nodded and opened the door on the right and entered a room similar to the one they had just been in, except with blue and silver linens and a cot set up next to the bed.  
  
"Well, I guess this is your room from now on, eh?"  
  
Chime nodded and crawled onto the bed; dumping her shoes off the edge. She flowed into the pillows and ceased to move. Anna took that as her cue and curled up on the cot, still fully dressed.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The moment Chime's head hit the pillow, she ceased to move or think. She did, however, begin to dream.  
  
At first, she dreamed of her parents- her mother sleeping in Chime's bed, weeping as though the world was ending. Her father, she saw sitting at the coffee pot area of the kitchen counter with the cordless in his hand, screaming into the phone.  
  
Then, her dreams shifted and she saw a table with no chairs. Beside it, sat a grey rat that seemed to be waiting for something. Then, within a one- minute span, Dumbledore came into view and spoke to the rodent.  
  
"Well, Pettigrew, I wish I could aid you, but I'm afraid I cannot. These things are beyond my power to fix." The rat, almost seemingly to understand what was being spoken, nodded its furry little head.  
  
The dream shifted a third time, and a fleeting image of Draco Malfoy and Serverus Snape came into her mind. Malfoy and Snape were speaking quickly and although nothing of their conversation could be heard, it could be seen to be quite serious.  
  
That image quickly vanished and left Chime with a dreamless sleep; leaving her no memory to question what she saw. 


	5. Hi, I'm the real Snape

*NOTE* I don't take any responsibility for any of these characters. These characters are not mine, but mostly taken from J.K. Rowlings Harry Potter series, as well as a few added of my own. Enjoy. OOO!!! Reviews! I can always use some reviews... Thanks to all the people who sent them! Got any ideas you think I should write in? Anything'll go!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LORD OF THE RINGS ROCKS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chime awoke to the feeling of aloneness. It wasn't quite loneliness, but it wasn't quite total abandon, either. She looked down at the cot beside her and found it to be gone. A clock on the mantel said that it was near 10 o'clock in the morning. Chime groaned and began cursing Anna's name as she climbed out of bed and viewed herself in crinkled clothing.  
  
Deciding that she had better speak to Dumbledore as quickly as possible, she left her warm bed and went out the portrait door. She followed her instincts on the directions that she had come the night before, though partly, she guessed. She came to the statue and thought about last night's password.  
  
"Buckland," she said.  
  
The statue moved and the stairs came up.  
  
She climbed the stairs and knocked at the door.  
  
"Just a moment," came the reply from inside.  
  
She waited a few more moments and admired the designs engraved in stone surrounding her. She felt refreshed after last night's sleep but still remained emotional in the thought of herself possessing magic as well as her parents accepting magic. She'd heard from Anna about Harry Potter's childhood relatives and their views on magic. She knew exactly how he felt.  
  
Her parents had always thought themselves practical in the sense that they had never led her to believe that magic existed. Chime was always told 'magic was fantasy' and nothing more. Then, Anna came along and finally confided that her boarding school was not JUST a boarding school, but a wizarding school. After that, Chime had starting believing in anything and everything. To her dismay, her parents believed she was setting herself up for disaster, told her so at every opportune moment, and offered to get her psychiatric help.  
  
The door to Dumbledore's office opened and a tall man with hair the color of Draco's stood with authority before her. His hair was longer, his features lean but angry and dislike all in one.  
  
"Ah. It must be you, the squib-mudblood. I've got servants more magical than you. Touch anything of Draco's and the consequences will be dire." He twirled on his heel and went downstairs.  
  
Chime stood there a moment listening to the retreating clip-clop of Lucius Malfoy's Italian shoes. After a few moments, Dumbledore could be heard speaking with a man. The next thing she knew, the door was being held open by Dumbledore and through the opening, Snape could be seen glaring into the fire while resting on the corner of the desk.  
  
"Come in, Ms. Sinlar. We have been expecting you."  
  
Chime slowly crept into the room as though afraid to disturb Snape's thoughts. She immediately thought of the last time she's heard the 'we've been expecting you' part. It was in a horror movie, where the girl went into this room, and the guy chopped off her head. Chime was entirely sure that Snape could decapitate her at any moment, so she continued creeping.  
  
"There is no need to creep, girl! I know you are there," said Professor Snape, his voice rich with a drawl similar to Draco's.  
  
His voice startled her. Dumbledore gave her a small push in the direction of the nearest chair as he walked by. She sat in the chair and watched as Dumbledore took his place behind the desk. Snape continued to stare into the fire with his back facing the headmaster and Chime.  
  
"I have informed your parents of your- abilities- and they were somewhat displeased, in the beginning, but were more than happy to allow you to stay here, where they can reach you. –Oh, and they wish to hear from you once a week. –They have prepared a trunk for you, which should be taken to your room in the next few minutes. Now, they have given me some money, though mistrusting as they were, and we will set out this morning to Diagon Alley. We need to get you wand!"  
  
A snort came from Snape as he continued to stare into the fire. Dumbledore ignored him.  
  
"Now, we must work out a schedule for you. We need to put you in with your classmates, but before that, we must give you your options." Another Snort. "Now, due to your age, you should be a fifth year, but because you have no knowledge of things, we must compromise. I believe Snape here, has a solution, but it is very serious. Professor?"  
  
Snape finally turned around and turned his glare from the fire to Chime.  
  
"Against my better judgment, the headmaster had requested a Duoniam."  
  
Chime gave him a blank look. "A Duo-what?"  
  
Snape gave a disgusted snort. "A Duoniam. One of the first things a student learns. We take someone of the same age and gender, and multiply their knowledge by two. Then, the extra knowledge is placed in the brain of someone else. In this case, we have chosen Ginny Weasley. Her knowledge will be transferred into yours."  
  
"Sir?" asked Chime, looking at Dumbledore.  
  
"It's more or less cheating," said Snape as though she didn't understand anything he'd said.  
  
"Will it give me memories of this person?" she asked, paling at the thought of this Ginny Weasley's first kiss being imprisoned in her head.  
  
Dumbledore chuckled and gave her a reassuring smile.  
  
"No- As long as it is done properly, it will only extract knowledge. This will enable you to graduate with Ms. Thomas- as we will hold you back only 1 year to complete your O.W.L.S., N.E.W.T.S., and give you a chance to properly learn your magic. It will take you about a week or so to completely accustom yourself to the new knowledge... That is, IF your still interested?"  
  
Chime looked around. She knew it was cheating, but it beat spending an extra 5 years in a castle with teachers such as Serverus Snape.  
  
"Oh. One more note- We will erase your memory of this spell, so as you may not tell others of this. Surely it could corrupt the school if the whole school could copy each other's mind. You will know that it happened, but you will not know how or what was done. Think about that as well," added Dumbledore.  
  
"I have thought about it. All right professor Dumbledore, I'll do it."  
  
Snape seemed to hiss between his teeth.  
  
"Very well, Serverus, please go fetch Ms. Weasley. She has accepted the challenge from the very start and is most anxious to meet you."  
  
Snape spun on his heel and looked pissed as he walked from the room. The moment the door closed, Dumbledore offered her a toffee.  
  
"Sir? May I ask a question?"  
  
Dumbledore nodded. Chime sighed reluctantly and asked.  
  
"Was that Draco Malfoy's father, whom I encountered on the way in?"  
  
Dumbledore nodded again.  
  
"Well, why was he so upset?"  
  
Dumbledore paused for a moment, seeming to be unsure how to respond.  
  
"There are some wizarding families who deem themselves superior than others- particularly muggles- such as you were. They feel the need to- cleanse themselves of any contact. Understand?"  
  
Chime nodded and made a mental note to get Anna to explain the term "Mudblood."  
  
"So, he was upset about me sharing Draco's apartment, I suppose."  
  
"You suppose, indeed."  
  
Silence followed for a few moments and was disturbed as Snape entered with a red-haired, freckle-faced Ginny Weasley.  
  
"Ginny Weasley, this is Chime- our former muggle," introduced Dumbledore.  
  
Ginny grinned and held out her hand. Chime took the proffered arm and shook it.  
  
"My Dad loves muggles. I do too, so I don't mind helping out."  
  
"I appreciate it," said Chime, immediately liking the girl.  
  
They both sat in chairs and Snape began to take his wand out.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
IT was 20 minutes later when both Ginny and Chime emerged from the office- Ginny feeling slightly lightheaded and Chime feeling very overloaded.  
  
She was given 1 hour to prepare herself for a trip to Diagon Alley. She slowly walked back to her room; holding her head.  
  
She thought of nothing but one thing as another pain nearly made her keel over.  
  
'I HATE SNAPE.' 


	6. Once a slytherin, always a slytherin

*NOTE* I don't take any responsibility for any of these characters. These characters are not mine, but mostly taken from J.K. Rowlings Harry Potter series, as well as a few added of my own. Enjoy. OOO!!! Reviews! I can always use some reviews...  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LORD OF THE RINGS ROCKS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Well, Diagon Alley was everything to be expected and more. In Olivanders, Chime spent 2 hours sorting through wand after wand. Finally, after many trials- and broken glass- they finally found a suitable wand. 10 Inch Rosewood, Thestral marrow. As the rumor goes, Harry Potter was told "Curious" by Mr. Olivander, and so, it seemed, was Chime.  
  
Mr. Olivander told her that people who were chosen by a wand with Thestral marrow were rare and strange. By this point, however, Dumbledore came in and left no chance to deepen the conversation.  
  
They got her robes, a cauldron, and other wizarding necessities. Surprisingly, Chime was having no other difficulties with Ginny's transfer of knowledge. She began to act like a five year old when she spotted something that she could now name and ran over to it, to marvel at it as though seeing it for the first time- which, she was- for the most part.  
  
They arrived back to the school and Dumbledore sent her to her room to put away her stuff. He told her that by the end of the day, she'd have an identical schedule to Anna's.  
  
She went down the hallway and stood in front of the portrait. The Dragon called 'Tiffany' still sat there, and was still accompanied by Sir McLan. She greeted both of them and said the password.  
  
"SASQUATCH"  
  
The portrait didn't move. Chime stood there and gave Sir McLan a curious look.  
  
"That is not, the password," said the knight, sipping his tea.  
  
Chime gave him a pained look.  
  
"Well? What is the password?"  
  
The knight merely shrugged and ate a crumpet.  
  
Obviously, he wasn't going to help her. Why did she feel like one of the kids standing outside the movie theatre in the cold, while the manager jingled the keys from behind the locked door?  
  
Chime sat on the floor with her back resting against the wall and began to name random words.  
  
"Marshmallow."  
  
"Nope," commented the knight.  
  
"Dumbledore."  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Duoniam."  
  
"Nope."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
HALF AN HOUR LATER  
  
"Chair?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Snape?"  
  
A pause. Chime looked up at the knight.  
  
"Professor Serverus Snape?"  
  
"Serverus Snape would have been fine."  
  
The knight sighed and the portrait swung aside.  
  
Chime gave a small cry of victory and picked up her parcels, and walked through the portrait.  
  
There, in one of the overstuffed chairs, sat Draco Malfoy, reading a book.  
  
Chime glared at him and cleared her throat.  
  
Malfoy glanced up. He quickly looked down, looking smug.  
  
"Malfoy?" Chime said in an impatient tone. "Did you change the password for the portrait?"  
  
Malfoy looked up again. "Well, not exactly. You see, anybody knows that the head boy and girls chambers, have passwords that change every week. Today just happened to be the day they change." He smiled his evil smile and continued to read his book.  
  
Chime grew angry and walked from the room.  
  
She went to her room and sat down on her bed with a "thump". A knock came to her door and she reluctantly opened it.  
  
Draco stood before her in his robes. He handed her a letter, and walked away.  
  
Chime gave him a quizzical look at Malfoy's retreating back. Then, without pausing, she opened the envelope and read aloud.  
  
Dear Miss Chime Sinlar,  
Welcome to Hogwarts. I have asked Mr. Malfoy to deliver this, as he had the period off. We have not yet been introduced and I hope to acquire that privilege in the near future. Griffindor has no more room in its rooms to accommodate you, so you will be staying where you are. Do not worry, it may not be permanent. Your things have been delivered and I trust that you have been settled comfortably. Now, you are excused from today's classes on account of your recent knowledge acquirement. Now, here is your schedule, lunch has already been served, and so you have missed it. Our house elves have brought you some food and placed it in your room.  
  
Chime looked around and noticed the tray of food on the desk.  
  
Supper is at 5:30pm sharp. Please do not be late- you may sit where you wish although I know preference to be with Ms. Thomas is an option. I expect Ms. Thomas to inform you of the rules in Hogwarts. I trust that you and Mr. Malfoy have been getting along. Ah yes, I heard about your wand. Thestral. Interesting accomplishment.  
Hope to see you at Supper  
Professor Minerva McGonagall  
  
Chime looked at her food and back at the letter. Then, she looked at her wand, which was now lying on her bed after falling out of her back pocket.  
  
She pulled out her schedule and noticed that Arithmancy was her first class of the morning tomorrow. She quickly ate her food, adjusting her tongue to the taste of pumpkin juice. 'Sheesh. In Canada, we drink pop or at least some fruit punch' she thought. She saw her trunk in the far corner beside her bed and went to it.  
  
Inside, she found clothing, her toiletries, some pictures, some books, a small portable boom box, some CD's, her favorite pillow and stuffed animal – a wiry eared pink rabbit named Pinky, and some envelopes.  
  
She opened the first envelope to find some strange looking coins inside. A note on the inside of the envelope said it was 50 dollars worth of wizard money. Chime had no idea what the hell it was, seeing as how she didn't even know what British money looked like.  
  
Another envelope opened to reveal 2 letters- one from each of her parents expressing their love and disappointment.  
  
'Damn them' she thought. But she knew she loved them. They were her parents, after all.  
  
Both letters said the same message VERY clearly.  
  
"Write once a week on Wednesday."  
  
She fell back onto her bed with an exasperated sigh. 


	7. Chime's afternoon as a loner

*NOTE* I don't take any responsibility for any of these characters. These characters are not mine, but mostly taken from J.K. Rowlings Harry Potter series, as well as a few added of my own. Enjoy. OOO!!! Reviews! I can always use some reviews... Thanks to all the people who sent them! Got any ideas you think I should write in? Anything'll go! Oh, Guys, if you see any mistakes or anything, please tell me. Nobody's perfect- least of all- me!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LORD OF THE RINGS ROCKS   
  


* * *

  
Supper was an interesting experience for Chime. She sat next to Anna and was introduced to people around them. She met the invincible Harry Potter, the clever Hermione Granger (who informed her of a hidden compartment in the wall beside her bed), Sir Nicholas (who displayed his nearly decapitated head), Ginny Weasley, Ron Weasley (who offered her a deal on some of Fred and George's candy), and Margaret Lemon, a wiry purple haired first year with the laugh of a hyena.  
  
Dumbledore sat at his usual place but did not seem to mind the glaring looks he was given when he embarrassed Chime by announcing –"A late enrollment- Chime Sinlar" in front of the whole school. Everyone turned to look at her and clapped as though it stressed them to do so.  
  
'Not going to make too many friends here...' she thought.  
  
She had spent the entire afternoon in an indisposed state. First, she purposely crept around to stay away from Snape and Malfoy. Then, she went exploring. First, by sheer accident, she found the Hufflepuff dormitory in the south wing. After that, she found the library, where a bunch of students looked at her as if she was an alien with 12 eyes.  
  
'Not that Snape wouldn't mind giving me 12 eyes' she made a mental note.  
  
From there, she found her way to the great hall, and stayed there while entranced in the enchanted ceiling.  
  
She finally managed to find her way back to her common room when Draco Malfoy turned up again from his room. Thankfully, in her opinion, he left just as quickly with books under his arm.  
  
She went out again and somehow managed to turn a wrong corner into the hospital wing. There, however, she found a giant of a man with a large brown beard getting a few scratches mended.  
  
"Poor little critter," he was saying, "He really shouldn't get so scared. It's not like other Centaurs are going to eat him."  
  
The woman mending him 'tsk tsked' and gave him something to drink.  
  
Chime was about to leave as quietly as she had come when she tripped on a loose piece of brick on the floor and the lady's ears pricked up. With one swoosh, she had opened the door the remainder of the way; ushered Chime inside; and pushed her into a chair.  
  
Chime was wide-eyed and scared. What the hell was going on?  
  
The woman looked at her from her stool in front of the giant man and spoke.  
  
"My name is Madame Pomfrey, dear and you must be my newest worry."  
  
"I resent that," input Chime. "It looks like a hospital, and I don't do hospitals."  
  
"Nonsense," said the giant. "At one point or another, everyone needs the infirmary."  
  
"I'll be leaving now," said Chime as she stood to leave.  
  
"I'll be having none of that, now," said Pomfrey as she pushed Chime back into the chair. "I'm going to give you a checkup."  
  
With that, she began to head back towards her office. The giant leaned over to Chime and grinned.  
  
"It's best not to upset Pomfrey, just so you know. Rubeus Hagrid," he said as he extended his hand.  
  
Chime took it and shook it.  
  
"You look like you've a place to be. Perhaps you should be off before she comes back. She'd keep you here till after dinner if she could."  
  
"Thanks for the tip," she said as she jumped up from the chair. Madame Pomfrey was just coming from her office as Chime ran for the door. Just as Pomfrey reached Hagrid, the door closed.  
  
"Where has that girl gone to? Hagrid, you couldn't hang on to a student for 5 minutes? Honestly!"  
  


* * *

  
Chime ran. She ran as far and as fast as she could. All she could remember was a blur of gray as she ran into hallway after hallway.  
  
She turned a corner and ran into – literally- the one person she'd truly been attempting to ignore all day. Snape.  
  
"Well, Ms. Sinlar. It seems that you are still unaware of the rules of Hogwarts in your cheating little brain. Perhaps I should remind you? First, there is to be no running within the school hallways. Secondly, no one is permitted in the staff room, which you are most certainly headed for, and thirdly, I expect you to get a map because the portraits around this school have been complaining of a girl running and wandering in their restricted hallways. Do I make myself clear?"  
  
Chime nodded. Snape took one last shot to glare at her and walked away. She breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
"Damn teachers... think they can tell us what to do... what's the point in having a restricted place in a school? It never makes much of a difference in Canada...," she grumbled as she retraced her steps. She finally found a corridor she recognized and followed it. She soon found herself in the great hall, with all the other students arriving for dinner. There, she met Anna, who simply assumed that Chime had been waiting there for her.  
  
They went and sat down, and there, she met the gang.  
  
As supper came to a close, Chime asked to speak with Anna. Anna told her fellow Griffindors that she'd arrive in the common room shortly. Chime and Anna went off to a corner to speak for a little while and Anna listened patiently as Chime complained about everything from Snape, to being called 'strange' in Ollivanders. Then, Anna sympathetically told her that 'it could only get better.' This went on for approximately 15 minutes and while it went on, the whole hall emptied till there were only a few Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws, and no way to know which direction the Griffindor dorm was. 


	8. A cry in the dark

*NOTE* I don't take any responsibility for any of these characters. These characters are not mine, but mostly taken from J.K. Rowlings Harry Potter series, as well as a few added of my own. Enjoy. OOO!!! Reviews! I can always use some reviews... Ok guyz, look for typos and stuff if you want. Got something to say? Don't be shy, I can take it... oh... just to warn you... I may be taking a little time to update to chapter 9, cuz damn school gets in the way of my creativity...  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LORD OF THE RINGS ROCKS  
  
Chime looked left. Anna looked right.  
  
"Which way?" asked Chime.  
  
"How am I supposed to know that?" demanded Anna.  
  
"Well, aren't you the one who's staying there?" retorted Chime.  
  
"Yeah? So? I was there twice!"  
  
"Correction. You'd had to of been there 3 times."  
  
"How do you figure?"  
  
"Well, once for letting me out of the trunk, once for this morning to get your books, and once for after classes."  
  
"Oh SHUT UP!"  
  
"Make me."  
  
A pause and then "GAHHHH!" came a shrill yell from Anna's throat. It sounded like a crow more than anything, or so Chime thought.  
  
"Well, let's retrace your steps," attempted Chime, though Anna was always the one to do the quick-thinking.  
  
"Well, I did come from this way..." began Anna, warily walking to the left.  
  
Chime followed and soon the girls were marching quickly down the hallway.  
  
"This is all your fault, you know," declared Anna.  
  
"My fault? How is this mess my fault?" raged Chime.  
  
"Well, if you hadn't held me back after supper..."  
  
"Held you back? You willingly stayed!"  
  
"Only at your insistence..."  
  
"Oh Shut up. That's like saying 'I wish I'd never brought you here..."  
  
"Well, if I hadn't of brought you, than I wouldn't be lost right now, would I?"  
  
"Well, if you didn't want me to come...."  
  
"No...no... I'd just wish you'd stop picking fights with me...'"  
  
"Me? Pick fights with you? Wait a minute- yeah... me picking a fight with you is right..."  
  
"You see? I told you."  
  
"GO suck an egg!"  
  
They continued walking in the direction that Anna supposed she had come when they came to a fork in the hallways.  
  
"You do realize that you could have gone back to my room with me and stayed there, right?" asked Chime as Anna chose the left side passage.  
  
"Yeah, well, I would have eventually of had to go back to my dorm to get my books and stuff. I just barely got to class on time this morning because I was in your room."  
  
"Well sorry for being a witch."  
  
"Part-witch."  
  
"Oh, that was cold."  
  
"Well stop picking a fight with me!"  
  
"I am not picking a fight with you!"  
  
"Don't start that up again."  
  
Chime sighed and Anna continued to lead them through the passages.  
  
"What's a 'mudblood'?" asked Chime, to break the silence.  
  
Anna gasped.  
  
"Wh- where'd you hear that?"  
  
"Well, I've heard it twice so far. The first time, you were with me, though."  
  
"When?"  
  
"Last night. After the ass kicked us from his room."  
  
"Oh... I wasn't really paying attention. A 'Mudblood' is a really rude version of saying 'muggleborn'. It pretty much gets translated into 'tainted blood.'"  
  
"Oh? Now I see where Draco gets his language."  
  
Anna raised an eyebrow in question but Chime didn't answer.  
  
They came to a flight of stairs that went downwards and Anna sighed a heavy sigh.  
  
"Well, we're definitely in the wrong place. Griffindor's are upstairs, not down."  
  
"Well, maybe if we go down this way, we'll find another stair case."  
  
Anna sighed again.  
  
"I suppose we might as well try. It beats walking back for 10 minutes," she said.  
  
They began to descend the stairs and found it to be self-lighting. The darkness turned to a wavering dimness as the girls looked around them.  
  
"I think we're in the dungeons."  
  
"No shit, Sherlock."  
  
A rumble echoed throughout the hallways and the girls jumped.  
  
"Please tell me that was you?" asked Anna in a small voice.  
  
"Sorry, but for once, I can't take credit," answered Chime.  
  
"Think we should get out of here?"  
  
"Agreed."  
  
They turned around and were headed for the stairs when a noise caught their attention.  
  
It was a cry- and it said "Help". 


	9. A sight for sore eyes

*NOTE* I don't take any responsibility for any of these characters. These characters are not mine, but mostly taken from J.K. Rowlings Harry Potter series, as well as a few added of my own. OOO! There will be some other characters coming. Next Chapter, everyone! Enjoy. OOO!!! Reviews! I can always use some reviews... Ok guyz, look for typos and stuff if you want. Got something to say? Don't be shy, I can take it... Sorry about the shortness of this chapter~ It's been a wee bit busy over here. Damn School- Always getting in the way...  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LORD OF THE RINGS ROCKS ~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"HELP!"  
  
There it was again. Not the growl, but the cry.  
  
Chime looked at Anna, but Anna was looking into the darkness where the faint cry seemed to come from.  
  
"I thought we were leaving?" asked Chime, trying to distract Anna.  
  
"Wait." Anna grabbed Chime's arm and began to drag the brunette down the dark hall.  
  
"If you're going to drag me through this, at least put some light on...- you know how to do that, right?"  
  
Anna took out her wand and waited for Chime to get out hers.  
  
"It's a flick of the wrist. A flick of the wrist and say 'LUMOS!'"  
  
Anna's wand lit up and glowed eerily in the darkness. After a few moments, the girls readjusted their vision to see in the strange new passage, and Anna noticed that Chime was still empty-handed of her wand.  
  
"Where's your wand? You're supposed to light up your wand to help see!"  
  
"Well, that would be great if I had my wand on me!" yelled Chime, her voice multiplying on the echoing walls, making her sound a million miles away.  
  
Anna glared at Chime for a time and Chime just gave a sheepish look.  
  
"It's not my fault! How was I to know I'd need my wand to stop an evil monster and rescue somebody trapped in a dungeon?"  
  
"You always bring it with you!"  
  
"Well sorry- I only got it this morning- remember?"  
  
"Ya, well someone should have told you that you have to take it everywhere!"  
  
"You sound like our parents. That whole – carry mace in your purse thing is getting old."  
  
"Shut up and look for who's in trouble."  
  
"Whatever."  
  
They began to cautiously walk down the hallway. The self-lighting torches seemed to run out so the girls relied on the wand light.  
  
They came to a door and looked around again. It was a dead end, and this was the only door in that entire hallway.  
  
"My guess is that whoever's down here, they're in here," said Chime motioning to the door.  
  
"And as I've been saying all night- No Shit, Sherlock."  
  
"Fine. If we can reuse insults, I'm saying "Go suck an egg!"  
  
Chime had never been good at insults, and it certainly showed.  
  
"Well, that was stupid."  
  
"Oh shut up!"  
  
Anna pushed on the door. Locked.  
  
"Well, guess that's it..." began Chime but was silenced as Anna quickly pushed open the door after muttering something and putting her wand at the handle.  
  
"Oh! Neat Trick! You're going to have to show me that one!"  
  
They entered the dungeon room and adjusted their eyes -once again – to the dimness. The room was empty, save a chair and a table, towards the far corner, as though it was a detention room. There was a door in the corner that was so dark, it blended in with the walls and was barely visible except for the red trim. There was a bar across the wooden door and the girls took it off. They opened the door, and the room blinded them. Dim torch light came from all the walls, illuminating all the room save a corner. There was a very cold chill in the air and the girls shivered and wrapped their robes closer around them.  
  
The wand light hit the far corner that was in shadow and it revealed a sight which seemed ghastly to the two teenagers.  
  
There, chained to a wall, stood 3 men, naked but for a loin cloth. As the light hit them, they seemed to wake up.  
  
The oldest of the three was a tall, late-fifties, scraggly black-haired man, with a lithe build. Next to him, a middle aged man with sandy-blond equally scraggly hair, with a broad build groaned. The youngest of the three, a long haired blond who was muscled but very thin, looked tired but not as strained as the rest.  
  
"Oh good," said the youngest one in a wavering voice, "help has come."  
  
All right, all right- this is turning into a cross-over story- sorry about that, but it needed to be done! Obviously, this is now an A/U (Alternate Universe), but I'm kind of contradicting myself in that sense because Hogwarts is already in an alternate universe. *pause* I'm just going to shut up now.... 


	10. An Uninvited Guest

**** Thanks Darlene! I needed too much help with this one... Hope your story's gone well... Reminder- these aren't my characters (for the most part) - they are J.K. Rowlings, and J.R.R Tolkiens. I take no responsibility for them, I just borrowed'em. Emily, You've given me a few ideas. I hope your LOTR Story's going well. P.S. Don't forget that this is now a crossover story. In an A/U. In a screwed A/U. In a crossover style A/U. ENJOY!!! OH!!! REVIEW, PLEASE! And CORRECT me if you find any mistakes. ****  
  
The girls looked at the young man. He looked only a little older than them.  
  
"What do we do?" asked Chime, quietly.  
  
"How am I supposed to know?" demanded Anna.  
  
"You could start by coming over here and un-shackling us, for a start," input the young man in a British accent.  
  
A noise- sounding like an agreement- came from the oldest-seeming one.  
  
Chime and Anna looked blankly at each other. They almost seemed to be arguing with each other in their minds and kept flinching as though the other had shouted loudly.  
  
Finally after much sighing and groaning from the men, the girls decided to do as they were bid.  
  
They looked around the room and spied nothing that would undo the cold iron shackles to which the men were bound.  
  
"Well, this sucks," stated Anna.  
  
"Can't you use your 'lock-picking' thingy?"  
  
"Oh... I forgot about that."  
  
"Now who's the stupid one?"  
  
"Shut up."  
  
"How about you both Shut up and let us out?" piped up the middle aged sandy-blond.  
  
"Well, if you're going to talk to us like that..." began Anna, walking away.  
  
The oldest man gave the sandy-blond a dark look and quickly began speaking in a deep, throaty voice.  
  
"No- Wait- Ladies, please excuse my fellow prisoner. He did not mean to be so rude, it's just that we've been here for some time, and it seems like hope is failing."  
  
Anna stopped and decided to take pity on them.  
  
"Why are you down here?" she asked as she slowly moved toward them.  
  
"Well, where I am from- Middle-Earth as we call it- I am King Aragorn, also known as Estel, or Strider. Here is my – I suppose I could call him- Steward- although he is supposed to be dead and we haven't quite figured out why or how he is here, as yet."  
  
"Me neither," answered the Dirty Blond. "Can't a man just die, anymore?"  
  
"And that, that is an elf- an immortal of our country- and my dear friend," continued Aragorn.  
  
"Sorry," began Chime, strangely eyeing the broad Dirty Blond as Anna unlocked the shackles with her wand, "I didn't quite catch your name..."  
  
At that moment, Anna had finished unlocking him and he fell to his knees; holding his wrists.  
  
"I am Boromir," he said, straightening himself to look at Chime. "I am not but the steward, but a warrior in the 'Fellowship of the Ring.'"  
  
Chime gave him a weird look which clearly said 'I have no idea what the hell you're talking about, but I don't really care.'  
  
The elf's shackles came undone with a tap of Anna's wand and the elf walked from the wall and breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
"So... We know you two," said Anna, motioning to Aragorn and Boromir, "But who are you?"  
  
"I... my dear, am an elf. I am of the Mirkwood elves where my father is king...-" stated the elf bowing slightly.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, yeah..." interrupted Boromir. "His name's Legolas."  
  
The elf had a fleeting look of anger pass his features but it disappeared. If Chime hadn't been staring right at the blond elf, she never would have seen it.  
  
"All right, so you've explained who you are, but that doesn't say much about why you're here..." badgered Anna.  
  
The king looked at his steward and then the elf.  
  
"We were captured to break the bonds that which hold this structure secure. A creature who calls himself- Lord Voldemort."  
  
Anna Gasped.  
  
Chime and the men looked at her.  
  
"What?!!" asked Chime.  
  
"The Dark Lord? He's still hanging around Hogwarts?"  
  
"Dark Lord?" asked Chime and Boromir simultaneously.  
  
"The one who tried to kill Harry!"  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Who's Hairy?" asked the elf, inspecting his chest and arms. "I'm not hairy."  
  
"No- Harry Potter-"  
  
"Oh. Who?"  
  
"Never mind."  
  
"Well, anyways," continued Aragorn, looking at the elf, "we were in my palace, and we were having a feast with my queen- Lady Arwen- when-"  
  
"Correction. You two were at this feast with Lady Arwen. I was peacefully dead," interrupted Boromir.  
  
"As I was saying," said Aragorn, glaring at the dark blond. "We were peacefully eating supper, when these figures in dark robes intruded into the castle, grabbed the elf, and myself and then knocked us out. When we came around, we found we were in this place. The only contact we've had is a boy who comes and feeds us and converses with us."  
  
"Who?" asked Chime inquisitively.  
  
"As I said, it was a boy. Brightly blond hair- even more blond than our Legolas, here. He told us that his father was one of the few behind our capture and that he'd help us, if he could. Instead, he feeds us, although his father bid him not to."  
  
"Sounds like someone's got family issues," laughed Chime to Anna.  
  
Just then, the door opened further and in the dim-lit shadows stood a platinum haired teenager with a wand pointed at the ensemble.  
  
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" a voice boomed. 


	11. A wall, 3 naked men, and magic

**** Reminder- these aren't my characters (for the most part) - they are J.K. Rowlings, and J.R.R Tolkiens. I take no responsibility for them, I just borrowed'em. P.S. Don't forget that this is now a crossover story. In an A/U. In a screwed A/U. In a crossover style A/U. ENJOY!!! OH!!! REVIEW, PLEASE! And CORRECT me if you find any mistakes. ****  
  
The voice echoed throughout the chamber.  
  
"Answer me at once!" it screamed.  
  
Draco Malfoy stepped into the room still carefully aiming his wand at the group.  
  
Anna stared in fright at Draco and refused to say anything. Chime, assuming that she was stuck doing the talking, stared menacingly at Draco and stated the obvious.  
  
"What are we doing here? Why, we're rescuing these guys- what does it look like we're doing?"  
  
Malfoy bit his lip as a sure sign that he was uncomfortable in the situation he was in. He thrust his wand at them instinctively as though planning in doing something evil, but not quite sure what, yet.  
  
"Back away from the men- girls," he said commandingly.  
  
"No way. Are you insane? Who do you think you are- the queen of Sheba?" barked Anna. "They've been here too long. They need to go home!"  
  
"Yeah!" added Chime.  
  
"I'm afraid I cannot allow that to happen!" declared Draco, and he began a spell.  
  
Anna was ready for him.  
  
"EXPELLIARMAS!" she screamed.  
  
His wand hit the floor as he was blown backwards into a wall and knocked out.  
  
Chime ran over and grabbed the lost wand.  
  
The near-naked men gaped in astonishment.  
  
"And how, pray tell, did you accomplish such a feat?" asked Boromir, his deep green eyes wide.  
  
"Same way Gandalf always did it," answered Aragorn, who had gone to ensure Draco was still alive.  
  
A look of understanding crossed Boromir's features and he silently shook his head.  
  
Anna and Chime looked at each other for what seemed like the twentieth time that night.  
  
"Now what do we do?" asked Chime.  
  
"Why do you always ask me these things? It's not like I'm a genius or something!" remarked Anna, who seemed to be getting extremely pissed off.  
  
"Well, you undid their handcuffs! You're the one who threw Draco at a wall!"  
  
"Why is everything my fault? Do I walk around with a sign on my head that says 'blame me'?"  
  
"If it wouldn't be too much trouble, girls," began the elf. "Perhaps you could send us to our own- uh... - origins?"  
  
Chime looked at Anna as if waiting for an answer.  
  
Anna shook her head. "I'm only a 4th year student, and it's not like the curriculum tells us how to send people places."  
  
The whole group sighed.  
  
"Maybe we should get out of here," said Chime, not really aware she had spoken that thought aloud.  
  
The men nodded, enthusiastic about leaving the horrible chamber.  
  
Draco groaned from the huddled form he had become at the base of the wall.  
  
"Well, we can't just leave him, can we?" asked Anna.  
  
Another Groan.  
  
The girls looked at each other in understanding and the men half-understood the idea going through their minds.  
  
"Looks like Dracky's going for a ride," someone said, and the group went to go pick him up.  
  
~~  
  
***Yes, I am Aware that this is an extremely short Chapter... Been busy... gotta have a life sometimes, don't I? These chapters are eating at me... Oh look, a chicken. *munch munch munch* It's Lord of the Onion Rings! Feel like a Lord of the Rings slash fan? Join my msn group!  
  
http://groups.msn.com/LordoftheonionRings/home.htm 


	12. Grunting, Lots of grunting

**** Yes, I know last chapter sucked. I'm getting too tired. So, as a solution, I will post a chapter every other day. A Chapter. Not a chapter a day, as I've been doing. I'm kinda liking the way this one turned out, though. Well, if your this far, you obviously know that these characters (most of them) aren't mine, and that they belong to J.K. Rowling and J.R.R. Tolkien. Have fun reading them and review me. Oh, and for those who tried to review me earlier but couldn't- I've changed my options, so you can send stuff now. Toodles!****  
  
Grunting. Muttering. More grunting. Gasping for air. Grunt.  
  
The three men carried Draco up the stairs. The girls looked down at the three as they hoisted the boy again and gave an exasperated sigh.  
  
"Oh come on, he can't be that heavy?!" protested Chime.  
  
Boromir glared up at the brunette and looked back down to keep his concentration.  
  
"It is not as easy as it would seem to carry a boy up so many flights, considering we only recently got our limbs into proper working order," he said.  
  
On a more personal note, he glared at the elf in front of him. The elf had not even sweated in the iron shackles and merely walked from them after the restraint was gone.  
  
'Damn elves,' he thought, 'they don't even sweat. Curse them.'  
  
Meanwhile, as Anna climbed the stone steps, she thought of the elf as beauty and continued to ponder how to get closer to the elf without seeming too observant.  
  
They finished the stairs and the grunting ceased. Anna led them back through the tunnel to the fork in the halls.  
  
"Do we take them back to your chambers? Or maybe we should take them to Dumbledore? It's not like I can take them to the Griffindor tower- even if I could find it," spoke Anna, giving the choice to Chime.  
  
"All right, all right," began Chime, weighing her options. After a moment she sighed. "It's late. I'd hate to find out at the wrong time that Dumbledore's a bad person to wake up in the middle of the night, so let's take'em to my room."  
  
Anna nodded and led them back the way they had first come- to the great hall. From there, Chime took over giving directions. They managed to get in front of the portrait and Chime mildly greeted 'Tiffany' and 'Sir McLan', and said the password.  
  
"Serverus Snape."  
  
The portrait swung open to the astonishment of the men carrying Draco.  
  
They entered in the common room and the men put Draco into an overstuffed chair. There, Draco slunk and did not move, but his breathing was normal and peaceful.  
  
The men, all of whom had begun to inspect the room, finally sunk into chairs- the girls remained standing.  
  
The girls went off to a corner and spoke animatedly while the males watched Draco and the fire like a predator watching his prey.  
  
The girls returned moments later and sat on the carpet, leaning with their backs on Draco's chair.  
  
"All right... we've decided that we need answers," stated clearly, Anna.  
  
Aragorn and the elf seemed to wake from their reverie of the fire, and turned to look the girls in the eye.  
  
"And to what do you need answering?" asked the inquisitive elf.  
  
"I believe the girls are searching for clarification on our presence, dear friend," murmured Aragorn, smiling briefly as if he found this rather amusing.  
  
"Uh... yeah. How'd you know?"  
  
"You get the same face that a warrior would, should he go to war."  
  
"Oh."  
  
The girls gave a fleeting smile and changed back the conversation.  
  
"Tell us, what exactly does a king, an elf, and a supposedly dead Steward have to do with Hogwarts?"  
  
Boromir snorted.  
  
"We do not know every small detail, although, all I do know is that I'm supposed to be dead, the gods recreated me, and that now people want me dead again."  
  
"Yes, well, that cannot be helped, can it- Nadorhuan*," retorted the elf.  
  
"What did you just call me- you inhuman elf?"  
  
"Ooo. Very smart comment- should you choose to accept it, I have never been human, so verily, your quarrel has no balance."  
  
"Would you guys shut up? Your worst than- well, Anna and me!" interrupted Chime, still wondering what 'Nadorhuan'* meant. It was not hard to understand that it was not something polite.  
  
Silence.  
  
"Thank you. Now, why is your being here so important?"  
  
Aragorn answered this time.  
  
"As far as we have understood, is that the blood of an immortal could defuse certain protective barriers. So, therefore, Legolas would be useful, also because of his strength and skill, for that is supposed to aid in the destruction. Then, for myself, I am king, but also one of the Dunedain. This gives me unnaturally long life, and that also aids in the destruction of a few other barriers. We have not yet figured out Boromir's purpose, though not for lack of trying."  
  
The room fell silent once again as the girls pondered the new information. After several moments, the silence ended.  
  
"I wonder if the blood of those who had died, adds some kind of spark to the magic spells to help make them disappear?" wondered Chime.  
  
"We have pondered this as well. It is possible, for perhaps his stewardship aids my blood. And perhaps it is just me that needed to be taken but reinforced with the blood of an immortal whose remained my friend for many a year."  
  
"Wait, wait, wait. First of all, why does Voldemort want to get into Hogwarts?" asked Anna.  
  
"Supposed, from what we've come to understand, he holds many foes in this building and wishes to rectify them," answered the elf, once again staring into the fire.  
  
The girls continued to ask questions about their home, and Voldemort's intentions, when Chime yawned.  
  
"I suppose we should get them something to sleep on?"  
  
"It would be a kindly thing to do," interrupted Boromir.  
  
Anna stood and walked near Boromir.  
  
"I don't like you very much. You complain too much."  
  
"Well, I find your manners a little short in the lady department, if you don't mind me saying so," argued the Dirty Blond, grinning broadly.  
  
Anna did not find this amusing, but gave a brief fake smile and walked into Draco's room.  
  
There, she removed all the blankets except for one, and threw them into the hallway. She then fixed the bed so that Draco could still be placed in there, to keep him from complaining that he had been horribly treated when he regained consciousness. Next, she motioned to the men to bring the boy in, and place him into the bed.  
  
After Draco was settled, Anna picked up the blankets from the hallways and threw them into an overstuffed chair- to which the men quickly fought over. There were only two blankets and three of them, so there was much bickering between the elf and the dirty blond man, to which Aragorn finally relented and handed his blanket to the elf, seeming that Boromir had been getting the better half of the fight.  
  
"Sheesh! Men! I was just about the say I'll be right back with another blanket!" called Anna in mock irritation, who had stood watching the whole scene.  
  
She went into Chime's room and removed one of the three blankets from the end of the bed. She went back into the room and kindly handed the blanket to Aragorn, who stood trying not to laugh as the Elf and other man argued over who was permitted to sleep nearest the fire.  
  
"Elves don't even sleep!" retorted Boromir after a particularly nasty sounding phrase in the elf's strange dialect.  
  
Aragorn made himself comfortable on the carpet and Anna and Chime said their goodnights to the group, though the two squabbling males took no heed.  
  
As Anna and Chime began to climb into Chime's large double bed, a final silence took hold of the chambers.  
  
"So it would seem that our guests were tired?" mocked Chime, handing one of the remaining two blankets to Anna.  
  
A pause and then a small "give me a sec" came from Anna as she scuttled from the room. She returned a few seconds later holding a small object in her hand.  
  
"Where'd you go?" asked Chime, curious as to what the object might be.  
  
"It's the key to Draco's door. You still have his wand, right?"  
  
Chime laughed and nodded, pointing to the wand on the dresser.  
  
"I hope Dumbledore's not going to kill us tomorrow," she whispered as the lights were extinguished.  
  
The only one who slept well that night, was a platinum haired boy who would not be very pleased to find he'd been locked in his own room in the morning.  
  
* Nadorhuan- Cowardly Dog (Tolkien's Elvish) 


	13. Snoring, Caradhras, and robes too small

****Well, if your this far, you obviously know that these characters (most of them) aren't mine, and that they belong to J.K. Rowling and J.R.R. Tolkien. Have fun reading them and review me. Oh, and for those who tried to review me earlier but couldn't- I've changed my options, so you can send stuff now. Toodles!****  
  
Bang. Crash. Bang. Bang.  
  
Not the most appeasing sound to awaken to.  
  
The girls awoke the next morning to the sound of banging. Not only banging, but a few lewd expressions to accompany the banging.  
  
The girls flung open the door to see Legolas and Boromir outside Draco's door, eyeing it curiously.  
  
"I suppose he'd like out?" inquired the elf in his British accent.  
  
Chime and Boromir looked at the door as another crash and cursing ensued.  
  
Anna took the key from her pocket and eyed it.  
  
"No, let's wake up first, before we let him out."  
  
CRASH. Glass Shattering.  
  
"I'd say that to be a very good idea," said Boromir, eyeing the door with distaste.  
  
They went into the common room to see Aragorn smiling smugly as he eyed the girls with tired eyes.  
  
The girls looked at him with curiosity written all over their faces.  
  
"You're looking awfully- pleased- with yourself," commented Anna.  
  
"Why?" countered the man, smiling mischievously. "Why, when there is nothing to be content about?"  
  
"I can see what his wife must love about him- he's obviously been studying 'how to be evasive for dummies' too much," remarked Anna to Chime in a whisper.  
  
"Oh tell them, and be done with it," commanded the steward from across the room, though sounding quite pissed about something.  
  
"Well, a man needs some fun in his kingly ways," argued Aragorn, yawning. "What Boromir means for me to tell you is that your... sleeping habits...-"  
  
"YOU KEPT US UP HALF THE BLOOMIN' NIGHT! How does that grab you?" spat out Boromir.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"What he meant to say, is that you snore," the elf said boldly. "Also, Boromir, I would refrain from yelling at ladies, if I were you- seeing as how they did rescue us?"  
  
"I resent that!" yelled Chime with enough volume to momentarily silence Draco's room. Momentarily.  
  
BANG.  
  
"I wonder what he's breaking?" inquired Chime as another crash echoed through the air.  
  
"Doesn't matter. His dad will probably buy him a new one- whatever it is-" answered Anna.  
  
Boromir snorted.  
  
They sat by the fire and properly woke themselves up while listening to the fevered attempts of opening the door from the boy's room.  
  
Chime was just about to remind them that they should see Dumbledore as soon as possible, when a low gurgling noise took hold of the room.  
  
Aragorn looked sheepish as his bony cheeks tinted red.  
  
"What was that?" asked Chime to the man.  
  
"Nothing," was the curt reply.  
  
Suddenly, there was an answering gurgling from Boromir, and he too, turned red.  
  
"What the hell is going on?" yelled Anna, turning panicky.  
  
"That, was the stomach of man, on the prowl for food," replied the elf.  
  
"Don't act like your not hungry!" protested Boromir.  
  
"I'm not. I am hungry, but I can otherwise contain myself against the urges!" countered the seemingly flustered elf.  
  
A small sound escaped the elf's stomach at this point and the elf blushed.  
  
IT took a moment, but when everyone registered in their brains as to what had made the sound, they erupted in laughter.  
  
After it had died down, Chime and Anna decided that it was time to go see Dumbledore, and perhaps, feed the males.  
  
A moment later, they remembered Draco as a Bang hit the air. There was less crashing coming from the room but more banging, now. It seemed as though he was charging and throwing himself at the door.  
  
"What do we do about him?" asked Chime, gesturing to the banging door.  
  
For once, Anna didn't have an answer.  
  
"Wait," Chime said, pausing a moment. "Can't you like, 'Stupefy' him or something?" she continued, using Ginny's logic that finally seemed to kick in.  
  
"Oh- yeah. I suppose I could do that..." answered Anna, slowly.  
  
The men and the elf watched closely as Anna readied her wand as Chime quickly unlocked and opened Draco's door. Within seconds, Chime grabbed Anna from the doorway while the door swung back to reveal a platinum blur that streaked through the doorway and hit Chime's door with a reverberating boom.  
  
The boy slunk to the floor and fell into unconsciousness.  
  
"Well, that solves that problem," jokingly said Chime, feeling for a pulse. "He's out like a light."  
  
"Yeah, his hair could be the beacon on Caradhras," commented Boromir, looking pleased at his witty remark.  
  
"Carrot- what?"  
"Caradhras- a mountain."  
  
"Umm... ok... we won't go there..." said the girls shaking their heads.  
  
They gestured towards Draco's room and said "If you want something to wear, your going to have to find something in his room."  
  
The men entered the room and closed the door, leaving the boy on the floor outside Chime's room.  
  
It was not but a few minutes later that both Boromir and Aragorn exited from the room wearing Draco's robes.  
  
"It's the only thing that fit," was their argument when the girls began laughing at their muscled legs which stood out from under the robes making the black robes seem like outgrown night gowns.  
  
The elf came out dressed properly, in black pants and a frilly black silk top. He looked up at the girls as if in question and stated that "He must be the same size as me."  
  
As the men picked Draco up, Chime went to retrieve her wand at the request of Anna, and they left the common room and walked quietly through the hallways to Dumbledore's office. 


	14. Coming out of the Portrait

**** Sorry it took me so long. Been really busy. Here it is. It's short, I know. Sorry. Love ya guys! Well, if your this far, you obviously know that these characters (most of them) aren't mine, and that they belong to J.K. Rowling and J.R.R. Tolkien. Have fun reading them and review me. Toodles!****  
  
Coming out of the portrait, the group picked up speed. There was less grunting and gasping for air, this time, but the light sound of bare feet marking the floor.  
  
They rounded a corner and immediately came to a halt. Chime, leading the way, had walked headfirst into what appeared to be an old muggle from the late 1800's. The man had a shabby waist coat, with dust and holes everywhere. His pants were patched in many places and he wore a white frilled shirt, styled older than the one Legolas wore.  
  
"Good morning," said the muggle, acknowledging the two females.  
  
Suddenly, he looked to the side and gasped. He quickly pulled out his wand and as he raised it, he was tackled to the ground by Aragorn, who had emerged from the shadows.  
  
A thump resounded as man and muggle hit the floor and struggled. Neither seemed to be winning when Boromir and Legolas separated Aragorn from the maniac muggle. Anna and Chime took hold of the muggle who was deeply struggling to use his wand. Draco lay forgotten on the ground.  
  
As the two finally stopped struggling, the muggle-seeming one lowered a sharp eye to the girls.  
  
"What, may I ask, is the meaning of this?" he demanded.  
  
"What is the meaning of what?" asked Chime, playing dumb.  
  
"Firstly, why do you have males old enough to be your father with you who are wearing naught but their robes?" he exclaimed, motioning up and down with his hand. "And could someone tell me why I have a young Malfoy unconscious on the floor?"  
  
"Well, you see, sir," began the girls at the same time and stopped.  
  
Anna seemed to take action this time.  
  
"Well, sir, we are off to speak with Dumbledore on these gentleman's behalfs, and Malfoy ran into a door, and the men are wearing Draco's robes."  
  
A pause. Finally, a quiet voice came from the muggle and broke the silence.  
  
"You, my dears, have some explaining to do. Perhaps we should all go to Dumbledore's office? I believe he is there at this moment."  
  
He threw a glare to the men and elf which clearly said 'Try anything and your mine' and slowly led them onwards.  
  
They turned a few corners and such and eventually came to the statue.  
  
"Buckland."  
  
The staircase appeared.  
  
"You know what? It's only my second day and I've already been to the principal's office 3 times. Well, 4 times if you count now," Chime whispered jokingly to Anna.  
  
"Shut up," was the only reply.  
  
They clambered up the stairs and stood facing the door. There was excessive wheezing from the men and elf carrying Draco's form as they climbed. The muggle opened the door, walked in, and quickly closed the door behind him.  
  
"Great. We're going to get yelled at now," stated Chime.  
  
"No we won't. We rescued these guys," argued Anna, gesturing towards the men and elf.  
  
"Yeah, well that doesn't account for attacking a muggle...," said Chime, glaring at Aragorn.  
  
Aragorn feigned innocence.  
  
"Me? Why should I be punished for ensuring the safety of the lives of my fellowship by pouncing on the stranger who might have been in on the plan to execute us? DO NOT BLAME ME FOR SUCH HEROIICS!"  
  
"Oh yeah, your wife much really love you, your so damn modest," Anna said wryly.  
  
"How dare you speak to my king that way? If it was not for him, we may have been dead, long ago. You owe him your allegiance," countered the elf.  
  
"Oh no... not that speech again," interrupted Boromir, grimacing. "Where have I heard this before?"  
  
There was a turn in the argument that suddenly brought Legolas and Boromir to arguing once again. It went a bit like this:  
  
"Nadorhuan!" screamed the elf. (1)  
  
"Ah! You yellow haired Freak! Go kiss Gandalf!"  
  
"Llie n'vanima ar' lle atara lanneina." (2)  
  
"Same to you."  
  
"A! Ale' amin tela sinome Tira ten' rashwe!" (3)  
  
"Whatever. If you can't speak common, you have no right to breathe."  
  
"Amin delotha lle" (4)  
  
There was a pause, and Aragorn began laughing. The elf and girls did not find anything funny, and begin to give curious looks to the tall and mighty king, who stood before them in little more than a very flashy nightgown.  
  
The door opened at this point, and the gray haired headmaster stood with grace before them.  
  
"Come in," he said, holding the door open a bit wider. "I wish to speak with you."  
  
(1) Nadorhuan - Cowardly dog. (2) Llie n'vanima ar' lle atara lanneina- You're ugly and your mother dresses you funny (3) A! Ale' amin tela sinome tira ten' rashwe – Ah! When we're done here, look out. (4) Amin delotha lle – I hate you 


	15. The Voice of Reason

**** THANKS TO EMILY. SHEESH... I really didn't know what to write for this chapter. Sorry it took so long. I'm busy with the SEARS FESTIVAL. Such bad hours. Like tomorrow, I shall be forced to stay at the school from 3-10. Like, what the hell? And it's the same all week. It's killing me, man. So, I'm not sure when the next chapter will be up. Oh- got to say – CONGRATS TO AVR! Review me- These aren't my characters= they belong to Tolkien and Rowlings. Toodles." *****  
  
"It has come to my attention that we have had some captives within our walls... Captives who, by strange and peculiar reasons, have not come from the wizarding world, nor where the muggle's dwell," stated Dumbledore, after everyone was seated in his office.  
  
"But sir," began the muggle, "that cannot be right!"  
  
"Ah, but professor, you know as well as anyone that anything is possible. Stranger things have come to pass that deemed impossible, might I remind you?"  
  
"Wait-" interrupted Chime, "he's a professor?"  
  
"Why yes. I was under the impression you knew Professor Remus Lupin- my defence against the dark arts teacher?"  
  
"But he... he's a muggle..." protested Chime, all rational thought leaving her brain.  
  
"A muggle with a wand?" interrupted professor Lupin in his own defence.  
  
"Well that's not... he can't... that's irrelevant!" yelled Chime.  
  
"The irrelevance of that, is less than that of your conduct in this institution!" countered Lupin, his face perfectly calm.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Your disregard for school rules has led you far from the path of Head Girl, young lady!" stated Lupin with a mischievous look in his eyes.  
  
"And what the hell is- HEAD GIRL?" demanded Chime.  
  
"It's an award for good students- teacher's pets, you know..." whispered Anna, who had been sitting idly, watching the fight.  
  
"Dumbledore, I must say, our students are taking after Harry Potter quite regularly," joked Lupin, watching Chime from the corner of his eye. "Next thing you know, they'll all be attacking Voldemort!"  
  
Anna gasped. Dumbledore didn't flinch.  
  
"Yes, well professor, things have been quiet around here for too long, anyways," was all the headmaster said.  
  
"Well, what shall we do with these delinquents?" asked a grinning Lupin.  
  
"Why, first, I believe we should hear their tale. I have a feeling that it will be most interesting."  
  
And so, the girls told the tale of being lost, finding the men, and the battle that ensued when Malfoy found them.  
  
The men and elf had laid Malfoy down on a long backless couch and now stood at the far side of the desk.  
  
"Is that everything?" asked Lupin, though Dumbledore said nothing when they had finished.  
  
"Pretty much..." said Chime.  
  
"My, you girls certainly had an interesting and busy morning!" exclaimed Lupin with a mock delight tone.  
  
"Begging your pardon, sir, but it wasn't this morning," put in Legolas.  
  
"Oh? I suppose then, that you must mean that this occurred last night, in the late hours, where the headmaster was not informed and students were not meant to be out of bed?"  
  
"Sir, it's not our fault! We were lost! It was after supper in the great hall! How were we-" screeched the girls.  
  
"ENOUGH!"  
  
Silence. Everyone looked at Dumbledore.  
  
"Now, I would like to know what happened to Mr. Malfoy. He must have awoken some time in the night, but he is unconscious again, and I would like to know the reason."  
  
"Yes, sir. He ran into my bedroom door, sir," said a meek Chime.  
  
"Very Well," said Dumbledore, looking as though he might want to laugh. "As long as no purposeful violence occurred...And you three," he said, gesturing to Aragorn, Boromir and Legolas. "You three are from another dimension, as I mentioned?"  
  
The trio nodded.  
  
"Well... you'll have to inform me of what happened. Professor Lupin? Please take Mr. Malfoy to the infirmary, as he might want something for his bumps when he awakens."  
  
Lupin took out his wand and pointed it at Draco.  
  
"Windgardium Leviosa."  
  
Malfoy began to float, and Lupin escorted the body out the door.  
  
Men and elf turned their look of surprise at the display of magic to fury as they glared at the girls.  
  
"You could not have done that? You could not have saved our backs?" the demanded.  
  
Anna looked sheepish.  
  
"I've never really been able to properly do that spell."  
  
Dumbledore 'tsk tsked' and said:  
  
"Well, everyone, please be seated."  
  
They all took seats and the men retold their story, without Boromir's constant interruptions.  
  
After the story was told, Dumbledore was silent.  
  
Then, his voice hit the silence of the room.  
  
"I'm supposing you slept in the common room of Ms. Sinlar and Mr. Malfoy's rooms?"  
  
The men and elf nodded.  
  
"You see, Hogwarts had it's largest enrolment this year, ever. We are in lack of sleeping quarters for extras such as you. If you wouldn't mind, I'd like you to stay in the common room for the duration of your stay while I ponder this dilemma."  
  
The men nodded but the elf spoke up.  
  
"You wouldn't happen to have extra blankets, would you? It gets rather chilly at night, on the floor."  
  
Dumbledore smiled a broad smile.  
  
"Of course. In fact, we have some cots, which would be much more hospitable than your mere blankets. I shall have them prepared right away."  
  
The men and elf smiled.  
  
"Right, well now, to other pressing matters. You girls are the keepers of these men during their stay. You will catch up on your homework and take them to your classes. Please find something to occupy their time with, as I will be busy finding out how to send them home. Now, if you will excuse me, I believe breakfast is being served."  
  
He rose to leave, and the men and elf, upon hearing the word 'breakfast' began eagerly followed his example.  
  
Anna stopped them.  
  
"Sir, what's to happen with Voldemort and Lucius Malfoy?"  
  
"Well, the ministry will be informed, of course, but I'm not sure how well that will hold up. It seems that Voldemort is invisible to find, and Lucius is a snake that slithers through problems that arise in court against him."  
  
"Please, don't be too hard on Draco," begged Chime. "He opposed his father and tried-"  
  
"Yes, I understand. Now, let's eat."  
  
With that said, Dumbledore turned and led them from the room towards the Great Hall. 


	16. The first of many problems

****Congratulations DRAMA CREW! We are officially moving to the next level! I'm so proud. Also, I apologize for the delay in my postings. I've been on vacation in Winnipeg (also known as Winterpeg). Not only that, but I was having my computer system wiped of viruses. I hate this. But, I am home, and here is my chapter. DISCLAIMER: They aren't mine, I just borrowed' em. And if you have a problem with my writing, either tell me, or don't read it. Naw, just kidding. AND WHY DID NO ONE TELL ME THAT I'VE BEEN SPELLING GRYFFINDOR WRONG SINCE THE VERY BEGINNING??!!!! SHEESH! I NEED TO KNOW THESE THINGS! ENJOY!!!**** ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "This is boring," commented Chime to Anna as they sat in potions, their third period class. The trio consisting of men and elf sat at the back of the room; suspiciously eyeing the contents of a heated flask. The brownish grey substance bubbled in big fat bubbles, causing the liquid to expand and now its contents bubbled near the top mouth of the glass container.  
  
Anna leaned over to Chime.  
  
"It could be worse. The 'grown ups' could be begging Snape to turn us into something."  
  
Just that morning, Dumbledore had announced that three guests would be 'aiding' and 'inspecting' the school and would be studying the grounds with the help of a few choice students. He then announced that they were to treat the newcomers with the respect that would be reserved for our elders.  
  
To that comment, snickers could be heard from the direction of the Slytherins. Draco was nowhere to be seen.  
  
The food soon came after that, and if Anna and Chime had been embarrassed by Dumbledore's declaration, it was nothing compared to the awkwardness of watching the men and elf eat.  
  
Boromir and Aragorn, after finally being given proper clothing, were wearing some robes of their own with muggle jeans and t-shirts, donated by Ex-professor Quirrel, a past defense against the dark arts teacher who had come to a painful death. It seems that Dumbledore was a junkee; a wizard who never threw anything away; like that of a muggle packrat.  
  
And so it appeared that Draco's clothing was returned and Legolas was given a blue satiny velvet robe to wear over his tight jeans and t-shirt.  
  
The males now sat across from Chime and Anna; Boromir on the end in blue and red, Aragorn in the middle in royal purple and blue, and Legolas, bringing up the far side in tight blue and earth green.  
  
"Feels more like Leggings," was all the elf said when Anna questioned the very tight looking trousers.  
  
The men and elf had sat across from the girls at the Gryffindor table, and were given a wide berth by others. They were looked at with curious looks and only until Ginny sat beside Chime, did the shuffling begin. Harry, Ron and Hermione inched closer to Anna, and Dean Thomas still looked at his half-sister in disbelief.  
  
"How did you get...? How did you...? Chime's HERE! ... Who're they? ... What the hell?!" was all he could stammer.  
  
"They are our friends. Oh, and Chime is now part of the school," answered Anna, cautiously choosing her words.  
  
"But you can't be their guides! You're still finding your way around here. You'll have them all lost, and then where will you be?"  
  
Dean slowly slide closer to Boromir to get a better glaring angle at Anna and at the same time, began to serve himself his breakfast. Boromir looked from Anna to the stony glare Chime was giving the boy and leaned forward.  
  
"Chime, is this young lad bothering you?" he asked coyly.  
  
Chime's expression changed to a look of happiness and mischief at Boromir's attention.  
  
"Why, yes in fact, he is rather annoying."  
  
Boromir smirked and leaned backwards. With a swift movement, one only a warrior trained for, he swung his arm backwards and gripped Dean by the collar of his robe in a death grip. Almost choking the boy, he pushed the boys away from him down the bench.  
  
"Please don't disturb my guide. I'd hate to be lost in this castle without someone to save me."  
  
Dean gaped at the dark blond while opening and closing his jaw reflexively.  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"That's better."  
  
Boromir gave him a polite smile and turned back to eating. Either elves lost all grace at the dinner table, or Legolas was so hungry he lost all his grace. The moment the food had appeared, the elf nearly flung himself headfirst into his plate in an attempt to get food. A moment later, food was flying across the table.  
  
Perhaps, for maybe once in their lives, Boromir and Aragorn were more graceful than an elf; for they ate with a slow speed, savoring every morsel as though it might be their last.  
  
Once breakfast was done, they went to the first period on the girl's timetable: Transfiguration.  
  
It was the first wizarding class that Chime had ever been to, and she was just as enthralled with the room as the trio of males that followed them.  
  
After taking a seat next to Anna, Chime motioned the males to a few demented desks at the back of the room. A moment later, a cat jumped onto the teacher's desk and the class full of students straightened up, except for the middle-earthen: who sat at the back arguing over which desk belonged to whom.  
  
The cat had leapt in a graceful bound and changed into a harassed-looking professor McGonagall. A moment had passed, and she'd demanded that Chime and Anna get their charges under control.  
  
Chime had given an exasperated sigh, picked up some paper and pens, and slammed it on Aragorn's desk, who sat at the better of the three tables, which happened to be in the middle so that he could watch his disputing comrades better. Boromir and Legolas were still arguing as to who was to get the desk with the cracked desk, but turned to look at the girl who had curtly and nearly thrown a pen at their beloved king's eye.  
  
Aragorn looked up with a smug-like look of surprise and smiled sweetly.  
  
"Is it your usual habit of taking a person's eye out? Or perhaps, it was that you've been caught off guard recently and are taking your anger out on me?"  
  
Another evilly smug smile.  
  
"Do me a favor, kingy," retorted Chime, "and keep your royal pains in the butt servants in proper order, if it wouldn't trouble you too much."  
  
She smiled just as sweetly as Aragorn had.  
  
As she turned to walk back to her place, Aragorn spoke again.  
  
"Yes, it would trouble me, seeing as how I find it entertaining; within my best interest, in fact. And what, may I ask, is the purpose of the writing utensil and parchment?"  
  
Chime bristled.  
  
"It's to keep you occupied," she announced through clenched teeth. "Perhaps you'd care to draw, or take some notes, like the rest of the class is attempting to do? We don't want you boys getting bored, do we?"  
  
"The mind is a better thing to use to take notes. But, don't you think it's rather a silly thing to do?" he answered jokingly. "As you know, we were well entertaining ourselves before you arrived and attempted to kill me with an oddly shaped quill and parchment."  
  
"It's a pen."  
  
"Pen?"   
  
Boromir gave her an interested questioning look.  
  
"A pen. The 'quill'? It's called a pen- at least in Canada."  
  
"Canada?"  
  
"Oh, for the love of cheese. CANADA! The land of the moose, the beaver, and the damn great game of Hockey?"  
  
"Hockey? Beaver?"  
  
"Hockey- played on ice with a puck and sticks? The beaver? A small brown animal with a large flat tail? Builds Dams? Likes beer?"  
  
"We haven't proved that yet!" screamed Anna from across the room.  
  
Legolas, Boromir and Aragorn stared blankly at her.  
  
"Oh, forget it. Just keep it down!" Chime sputtered out as she stomped back to Anna.  
  
That had been the first class. The second class had been with Professor Binns for history of magic. The men had fallen asleep and had snored so loudly that Professor Binns had actually stopped his lesson to wake the two up. Then, the inquisitive elf had enflamed a Hufflepuff's hat when he picked up the professor's wand.  
  
The elf was nearly strapped to a chair, had it not been for the girls that nearly feel over themselves to defend him.  
  
'Somehow, I'm not surprised' thought Anna.  
  
After that episode, Lunch had seemed almost civil, although the crowd of girls to offer to be his lunch mate had almost overpowered the rest of the table. Aragorn and Boromir had sat with the elf across from Chime and Anna, and Chime felt a pang of jealousy as girls introduced themselves to Boromir, to use his companionship to get closer to Legolas. Meanwhile, Anna had been positively frothing at the mouth at the amount of girls near Legolas.  
  
Now, they were in potions, the men at the back of the room, once again. Snape was even more on a rampage than usual. He was questioning all the Gryffindors on the components of a truth serum, leaving the Slytherins time to laugh freely at the stuttering answers that Snape was receiving.  
  
CRASH!  
  
Glass shattered and a stench of rotten eggs, gasoline and vinegar overtook the room. 


	17. Life Sucks Let's talk

*** Well... Slow poke annie here... Here's the story, I'm going to bed, and I'll see ya next time I see ya. You obviously know these aren't my characters, except for a select few.... They belong to Tolkien and Rowlings. 'Nite~****  
  
The Girls began shrieking like Mandrakes, though not as deadly.  
  
The Stench encompassed the room, and Snape, mid-sentenced, snarled unconventionally at the males from Middle Earth who cowered in the corner.  
  
"What happened?!" demanded Snape in his booming voice.  
  
Silence.  
  
Snape truly grew angry at being ignored.  
  
"You, you, and you!" he said, pointing to Boromir, Legolas, and Aragorn, who flinched at the accusing finger and voice. "You may be guests in this school, but you are no longer welcome in my classroom. I will not tolerate having you destroy everything, nor will I have disruptions."  
  
No one moved.  
  
"Get out of my class!" raged Snape in a much undignified high voice.  
  
The trio jumped and ran from the classroom, their fast paced footsteps echoing through the empty halls.  
  
Chime jumped to her feet, and pushed her chair backwards. The chair caught on a raised cobblestone, and clattered into the goop puddled on the floor. The goop was changing color from the brownish-graying substance to a light turquoise with the cooling air.  
  
A second later, after the chair hit the goop, a crackling noise could be heard. The thick goop had seemingly culminated into a large puddle and was effectively eating at the metal chair. The thick liquid fizzed as it ate at the cold steel, until all that was left was a pile of smoldering metals still melting in a pile of goop.  
  
Anna and Chime looked at each other and headed for the door.  
  
"If your going after those undisciplined and uncivilized men who have happily destroyed my classroom, I suggest you stay," came Snape's voice behind them. Anna paused. Chime reached the door and began to pull it open.  
  
"Miss Sinlar! It is but your first day here, and already you are a pain in my backside! If you do not wish to fail in my class, I suggest you follow your friend's example and take your seat! Though, neither one of you will be excused from serious detention and point loss from Gryffindor."  
  
Chime turned back. She truly hated Snape now, and could care less who knew it.  
  
"First of all, sir, I no longer have a seat. And, I AM going after those gentlemen because they have more manners than you ever will. I do not expect Dumbledore to allow you to fail me due to me leaving to go find the men within my charge."  
  
She gave him a defiant look, and completed her expression with a sly look.  
  
"Now sir, you surprise me. I would have thought that you would be more than willing to grant me permission to be dismissed from your classroom... after all, I AM a pain in your butt."  
  
With that said, she walked out the door, slamming the wooden door behind her.  
  
Her eyes adjusted to the light of the hallways and she saw a corner of silky purple around the corner, sitting on the floor. She cautiously walked towards the pliant material and peered around the stone wall.  
  
Boromir, Aragorn and Legolas sat on the floor, their backs against the wall and legs stretched out in front of them while Aragorn filled the air with a tobacco smell from his pipe.  
  
They were all completely relaxed, and enjoying the quiet in the unused hallway.  
  
Aragorn looked up at her with a surprised look and then, he grimaced.  
  
"I thought you were only on your first day here?" he inquired.  
  
"I am...."  
  
"Well, then why would you leave your classroom and probably get kicked from your classroom on the first day for a bunch of old people from Middle Earth?"  
  
"Middle Earthians or not, your in my charge. And don't worry about me. It's not like I ever got along with Snape. Besides, I doubt Dumbledore would let him fail me that class."  
  
"You put too much faith in a man that you've recently befriended."  
  
"Too much faith? In Dumbledore?"  
  
Aragorn nodded.  
  
"He still has yet to discover how to restore us to our home."  
  
Boromir dramatically fell on his side and promptly began to pretend to sleep. Legolas stared amusedly at the dark blond and leaned back into the wall, staring at the opposing wall with sleep in his eyes.  
"How can you be so sure that you will be safe within a class by marks?" continued Aragorn.  
  
"What do you know of marks?" teasingly asked Legolas. "You were merely tutored by Erestor!"  
  
"That's 'Master Erestor' to you, and you have no idea of the tests I had to accommodate till I met Elrond with Approval."  
  
"You'd be surprised how much I understand."  
  
"You're only saying that to befriend him better. On truth, you only jest," commented Boromir, still dramatically lying on his side on the stone floor.  
  
"I assure you, that everything spoken from my mouth is truthful," oathed the elf.  
  
"Ah yes, so calling me a 'cowardly dog' is the truth?" inquired Boromir in an annoyed tone.  
  
Legolas stared pointedly at Aragorn.  
  
"YOU TOLD HIM?!"  
  
Aragorn shrugged.  
  
"I had to. He was going to hang me out a window!"  
  
Legolas sucked air through his teeth in a hiss in disappointment.  
  
Chime continued standing and looked at the males before her.  
  
"I am so not getting into this conversation," she declared, and slid down the opposite wall to sit on the floor.  
  
"What is that?" asked Aragorn curiously, pointing to the right of Chime's robe on the floor.  
  
"What's what?" asked Chime in a cautious voice, hoping he wasn't referring to a spider. She hated spiders with a passion.  
  
"That parchment."  
  
Chime looked over and pulled out a wad of paper. It was a crumpled sticky note that had been 1 of 2 attached to her parent's letters, asking if she would come home for her birthday, about a month after Easter.  
  
"It's a note. It demands my presence by my parents," declared Chime without the least bit of happiness in her tone. "They want me to come home during my birthday but they could care less whether I come home for Christmas."  
  
Aragorn nodded his head in understanding.  
  
"And you do not wish to go home, either?"  
  
"Well, it's not like anyone would be home. Mom and Dad are going away, and besides, they aren't too happy with me right now."  
  
"But why?" asked Boromir. "Why sacrifice such little time they have with you? I hate to be away from my brother for more than a day!"  
  
"Well... don't forget your father," input Aragorn. "He's your family, too."  
  
"He was... a long time ago," stated Boromir in barely more than a whisper as he remembered.  
  
Silence took hold of the small group as each reflected upon their lives and family.  
  
After a few moments of uncomfortable silence, Boromir finally asked Chime a question to change the sad atmosphere.  
  
"Chime, my lady, how old will you be upon your next birthday?"  
  
Chime looked at him quizzically.  
  
"17. Why?"  
  
Boromir looked shocked.  
  
"17? And you are not married, as yet?"  
  
Chime's confusion became apparent on her face.  
  
"Married? Are you insane?"  
  
"Forgive him, Chime," interrupted Aragorn. "Where we come from, it is common for a woman to marry in her young years."  
  
Chime looked dumbfounded.  
  
"During her teenage years? But how does she lead her life?"  
  
"She allows the men to look after her, care for her, be sure she is well, and takes care of the wee ones," stated Boromir.  
  
"What planet have you been living on?! Women around here are equals!" announced Chime with incredulity as she glared from men to elf. "We aren't inferior! Why do you think we go to school? TO learn about the world and work in it! Not sit around and play home wrecker!"  
  
"That's housewife-" put in Legolas. "Do not forget Lady Eowyn of Rohan, Estel."  
  
Aragorn groaned.  
  
"Don't remind me. She scared so many men, that none would marry her."  
  
Chime looked up.  
  
"That's a mean thing to say. Who's Eowyn?"  
  
"No one that concern's you!"  
  
"She was a warrior shield maiden from Rohan who was both beautiful and lethal. She had her heart set on Aragorn for her husband," answered the elf.  
  
Aragorn glared at his friend.  
  
"I was- and still am- in love with Arwen, the Evenstar of my heart."  
  
"Congratulations on the cover up-my friend."  
  
Chime looked at Aragorn.  
  
"How old is your wife? I mean, she must be around your age, right?"  
  
"I appreciate that, but I am of the Dunedain, which bestows naturally prolonged life. I am approaching 88 years of age, and my wife is an elf such as Legolas, and has millennia in her lifetime."  
  
Chime was dumbstruck.  
  
"88? But how is that possible? You only look around 40!"  
  
Aragorn shrugged.  
  
"It is the way we are."  
  
Chime looked suspiciously at Boromir.  
  
"And you?"  
  
Boromir gave her a humble smile.  
  
"My lady, I am in my mid life, and no where near the age of my king. Nor the elf, for that matter."  
  
Looking at the elf, she repeated her question.  
  
"I am an elf, which makes me immortal. I can die in battle, or, I can fade, but I cannot die, otherwise. I am a millennia old, or there a bouts," was his answer.  
  
"Sheesh. I'm stuck around old fogies."  
  
Aragorn chuckled, a gruff note in the silence of the abandoned hallway.  
  
"So, when is this celebration of your age?" asked the dark blond, staring intently at Chime.  
  
"Oh. Well, its a few weeks after Easter. The beginning of May."  
  
"May? What is May? And what is Easter?"  
  
"Well, what kind of months do you have in Middle Earth?"  
  
"Months? We have time periods on our calendars, but they are not referred to as 'months'. And WHAT IS EASTER?!!!"  
  
"Easter is a holiday, mainly a Christian Holiday, but it's in the early timeframe of Spring."  
  
"Oh.... Spring... What's spring?"  
  
"ARGH! I give up!"  
  
Boromir laughed.  
  
"Please excuse me, my lady. I only jest."  
  
Chime glared daggers at the man, whose green eyes flickered with amusement.  
  
"That was so NOT funny." 


	18. Even Pretty Boys have Problems

*****THANK YOU KRISTA B. Thank you Queen of Zan- Id'gits will UNITE! And if your this far, you don't need to play idiot and say that you weren't aware that these are not my characters, but Tolkien's and Rowlings. Enjoy . *Crosses Fingers* I hope we move onto the next round. ****  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------  
  
*Pop* *Air Rushing* * Pop*  
  
'What an annoying sound.'  
  
*Bed Creaking*  
  
'Argh.'  
  
*Bare feet crossing a floor- tat tat tat*  
  
'What the Hell?'  
  
*Insane Girlish Giggling*  
  
'Why Me?' Draco inwardly demanded as he groaned. 'I don't know where I am, bloomin' hell! Am I even wearing clothes?'  
  
*Hushed whispering. Giggling stops*  
  
'Ah, thank God. Otherwise, I should have let Voldemort kill me every time I met him.'  
  
*Cold air washed over his face. The water droplets there dried with the breeze*  
  
'My face is wet?! When in bloomin' hell did this happen? Maybe I should open my eyes. Wait. I can't feel anything. I already might have my eyes open. I COULD BE BLIND!!!! What will father say? *Pause* I need to move. Perhaps I should concentrate on my arm. If I can't see, then my eyes are of no use to me. Ready.... 1, 2, 3... It moved! My left arm moved! I can feel it! I'm not an invalid! I can live! All righty, then... next attempt. My legs. 1, 2, 3.... Gotcha! Beautiful! Both legs still intact, I see. What about the other arm?'  
  
*Insane Girlish giggling start again*  
  
'Let's give it a shot, so that I might hurt whoever's creating that horrid sound. *Pause* Well, we'll have to work on that. Maybe I should try my eyes. I wish I knew if they were open. Well, let's have a go. *Pause* Wow! I can see! Slightly blurry, though.'  
  
He opened his eyes slowly, and nearly blinded himself with sunlight.  
  
'Artificial Light is my greatest friend, after this. Where the hell am I?'  
  
As he blinked a few times, the light filtering through the open window dimmed slightly, allowing more of his surroundings to be exposed. He recognized the infirmary wing, and the fact that he was on a soft cot. Next to him was a dresser, littered with used tissues and some Bertie Botts every flavor beans cartons.  
  
He leaned forward and rolled his shoulders. The muscles in his neck bunched painfully.  
  
'What the hell happened to me?'  
  
Then, suddenly it all came back to him.  
  
"Mudblood.... And her annoying friend!" he spoke aloud, not realizing that he had. "It's those two who found them! What will father say?"  
  
"He'd say that he was very displeased with his son," came a voice, with an unusual accent.  
  
Draco turned his head to look at the owner of the voice.  
  
"And who- are you?" he demanded.  
  
"Amanda Zinbell- Fell down a flight of stairs and hit my head- or so they tell me. It's not nice to call people 'mudbloods', you know. My best friend is a muggle," answered a girl with black hair highlighted with Silver, braces, blue eyes, and somewhat pointed ears and who was popping her gum insistently. "They're very nice people- you should get to know one!"  
  
Draco glared at her. 'The last thing I need is another person telling me to give 'mudbloods' a try.'  
  
"They can't help who they are or where they came from," she continued.  
  
"Well, they can stay out of the school!" spat Draco, clearly annoyed.  
  
"But why? I mean, without muggles in the school, we wouldn't have Dumbledore."  
  
Draco looked at her with surprise etched across his face.  
  
"And what do you mean by that?"  
  
Amanda looked amusedly around the room.  
  
"Well, he was brought up by muggles, after all."  
  
Draco more heard his intake of breath than felt it.  
  
"And wh- where did you hear that?" he managed to ground out.  
  
"From my Aunt," the nonchalant girl declared.  
  
'She knows more than she's said' thought Draco on impulse.  
  
He had a sixth sense for that. He still remembered how the Crabbe and Goyle impersonators of second year had tried getting him to spill his guts. He still regretted not knowing who the impostors were who had made a polyjuice potion. He had patted himself on the back for his innocent performance, though. Now the situation was that he had to get his hands on more information. 'But how much of what she tells you can you take into consideration?' pointed out a small part of his brain.  
  
He chose to see what she knew before deciding.  
  
"Who's you aunt?" he asked casually.  
  
"Aunt Tabitha? Oh, she's Dumbledore's second cousin," declared Amanda, dreamily staring blankly at the wall she was facing.  
  
Draco thought on that.  
  
"That would make you a – distant relative?"  
  
She nodded and looked at him.  
  
"Yeah, but I call him 'Uncle'."  
  
Draco grinned. He could use this information to please his father, in spite of everything that had happened with the Middle-Earthians. Thinking about his father, he was reminded of something she had said.  
  
"How did you know my father would be displeased by my recent accident?"  
  
Amanda looked at him with a quizzical look knotted into her brow.  
  
"What do you mean? Is your father not Lucius Malfoy, head death eater? Of course, I don't know all the details about what happened in the dungeons, but I know your father is a death Eater."  
  
Draco chose not to answer that last part.  
  
"Well, what do you know of my father? He IS Lucius Malfoy, but what do you know?"  
  
No answer. He watched her expression as it became a blank stare.  
  
"Well?!" he demanded.  
  
She looked at him with empty blue eyes and gave him a confused look.  
  
"Well what?"  
  
Draco felt his face flush. 'She's trying to upset me. She will not succeed' he resolved. He let his breath out slowly and took a calming breath. He felt the tension leave his body and decided to resume a casual conversation.  
  
"We were discussing my father..."  
  
She looked at him sharply, her brow knitted further in confusion.  
  
"You? Discussing something with me? What rock did you hit your head on? I wasn't talking with you, because I don't even know you!"  
  
Now it was Draco's turn to be confused.  
  
Suddenly, a thought came to mind that made sense, or at least it did to him. He inwardly groaned. 'Brilliant. I've another Luna Lovegood on my hands. Wonderful.'  
  
He decided that the conversation had obviously ended and calmly stretched out.  
  
The door at the end of the room creaked open as Professor Snape came in, his black robes billowing as the breeze from the open window caught them. He looked quizzically at Amanda Zinbell, whom had pulled out a magazine and now sat reading it sideways.  
  
He rolled his eyes which clearly said to Draco 'Not another Luna Lovegood.'  
  
He came over to Draco's side and sat down in the wicker chair on the far side.  
  
"Well, mister Malfoy, how do you feel?" he asked in an almost concerned voice.  
  
"Fine, sir."  
  
"Are you well enough to go for a walk?" Snape asked hurriedly, eyeing Zinbell distastefully.  
  
"I'll give it a shot," said Draco, slowly approaching the edge of the cot. He slowly swung his legs down and placed them firmly on the floor, extending full body pressure, bit by bit, onto his heels. When his feet were ready, he slowly took a few tentative steps and felt normal.  
  
"Well, it seems Madame Pomfrey has kept me in working order," he drawled.  
  
Snape chuckled. It was a scary noise that sounded almost like a hiccup.  
  
Draco heard it often enough in the common room when nearly everyone was in bed and he was having a conversation with a few students, but it never failed to send shivers up his spine.  
  
Madame Pomfrey chose this moment to appear and clucked her tongue in disapproval of Snape for disturbing her patient, but then diverted her attention to Draco, who was looking as he always did, minus the mild bruise on his forehead that lessened as each hour passed from the healing potions she'd administrated.  
  
"How do you feel, dear?" she asked tenderly, her 'tsking' persona gone.  
  
Draco looked at her, his face impassive of the pain in his legs.  
  
"Fine, Thanks."  
  
She stared at him for a few moments, trying to read any sign that he was lying, and finally decided that he was well enough to depart from her wing.  
  
Snape and Draco left quickly, and went outside. They walked towards the lake, and stopped near an old Mallorn tree that bordered a side of the water.  
  
Snape looked out upon the lake, unseeing, as Draco watched his professor closely.  
  
It was rare that Draco and Professor Snape spoke alone, for it gave the wrong impression to others. The last thing Snape wanted was more ministry wizards hounding him as to where his loyalty stood.  
  
Snape finally seemed to fall out of his reverie, and looked at Draco with a grim face.  
  
"The ministry has been informed of your... actions in the dungeons."  
  
Draco flinched. He knew it would come, but he had hoped he could have some of Potter's luck and somehow manage to get out of it.  
  
"Well, they have arrested your father- once again- but it seems that the ministry is so keen on his sentence, they've sped up the courtroom date. They've agreed that you will simply be fined if you agree to testify against your father." Snape sighed and waited for his young pupil's reaction.  
  
Draco's mind was doing overtime. He had life, and privileges, which was forcing him between everything. He needed more facts.  
  
"What are the charges against me?" he asked.  
  
Snape looked surprised but quickly recovered.  
  
"Accomplice to conspiracy to commit murder, attempted bodily harm, endangering lives, and if you don't help them, they will add withholding evidence."  
  
Draco looked at Snape.  
  
"It's worst than I thought. I might get probation, but not before they put me in Azkaban. But I'm afraid to know what father would do to me should I choose to go against him. I've been trying to stay out and away from his affairs for awhile, but Father kept pressing me into them."  
  
Snape nodded grimly, wholly understanding.  
  
"You have your life in one hand, and your father's wrath in the other. It is not an easy decision to make. Should you choose to testify, you may be placed within protection by the ministry, but the Malfoy wealth will go to you, for your father would spend life in Azkaban. Even still, though, you will be a prime target, as Lord Voldemort does not take kindly to being disregarded. The ministry will protect you as much as they can, for, they've waited too long for your father's life sentence to let him go."  
  
Draco thought about this. 'Either way' he thought 'I've something to deal with. It's a shame I can't disappear.'  
  
"It would do no good to run from this," said Snape, cluing into his thoughts. "You would eventually turn up, and be forced into Azkaban due to running from the ministry."  
  
"Well at least I'd have the decision made for me!" spat Draco, annoyed with his mind being invaded. He paused, and then said the only thing he knew.  
  
"I need time to think it over."  
  
Snape nodded.  
  
"I anticipated that. Dumbledore gave me permission to excuse you from classes for the day. He told me to have you rest up and think."  
  
Draco nodded and walked back towards the castle. It was nearing Lunch, and he knew he's stay hidden the rest of the day. 


	19. Sometimes even Headmasters don't help

**** Soooo tired. Sleep. Now. Llama. Llama is a bird. And yes, I am aware that a llama is not a bird. This is done, and I'm going to bed. These aren't my characters, but they do belong to J.R.R. Tolkien, and J.K. Rowlings. BAH. Please inform me of Typos... and review me. Please. ****  
  
"I am sorry, Miss Sinlar, but I cannot help you," declared a harassed Dumbledore. "I will discuss things with Serverus, but it is up to him. I'm sure you two can come to an arrangement."  
  
"But headmaster," pleaded Chime, he face flush with anger. "I can't go back to talk to Professor Snape. He won't listen, and I doubt he'll pass me! I was only trying to keep track of the men YOU put me in charge of!"  
  
Dumbledore's face still claimed its calm exterior.  
  
"My Dear, you have no one to blame but yourself. You were to keep an eye on them, not put them in a bag to carry everywhere. They are grown men, and do not need an over-enthused teenager regarding their every movement."  
  
"But sir, how was I to know that they would sit around the corner? They could have gone into a restricted section, or something!"  
  
"Ah, but they didn't. You see, out of their respect to you and Ms. Thomas, they remained close by, so as to enable you to continue with your studies."  
  
The old man smiled.  
  
"Miss Sinlar, do you remember the first night you came to see me? The night you snuck into Hogwarts?"  
  
Chime nodded slowly, wondering at what the headmaster was getting at.  
  
"Well, that night I told you that we'd have to create a program," continued the old man. "A program specifically designed for you so that we may aid you in your recent acquirement of knowledge."  
  
Chime nodded again. She remembered that much of the night.  
  
"Well, I think it's time we went underway. Now, your first step is to apologize to Professor Snape because he will not only be your potions teacher, but your guide through the personal training."  
  
Chime chided herself. How could she be so foolish to let herself be rude to the one teacher who'd probably be grading her on everything it took to get by in this school? She'd always seemed to end up that way. She always got the mean teachers, who gave her the pity passing marks to make sure she didn't return to their classes. Most times, she didn't really mind, but when it came to something that she knew she was good at, but was only given a pity mark, she thundered. She would storm around for hours, banging doors, and walking to the school Drama Department and would occasionally break a lamp. Sometimes, she even took out the black paint bucket and painted the stage- taking her frustrations out on the paint roller, while cursing her inconsiderate educators.  
  
She looked at Dumbledore.  
  
"Can you at least arrange it so that I'm not begging for a month, sir? PLEEEAAASSSEEE????!!!!"  
  
"As I promised, I will speak with him. Try to understand it from his point of view. He gets a new student who is adjusting to her recent knowledge addition, as well as the distraction of three males to contend with, whom seem to have no trouble destroying his classroom and then he has the same student, who he's been trying to teach, insult him, and command him to excuse them from class."  
  
Chime looked sheepishly at the ground.  
  
"Sure, it sounds bad when you put it like that, but forget the insulting part," she muttered. "That didn't happen."  
  
Dumbledore raised a white eyebrow.  
  
"No? And what is it that you call it?"  
  
She looked at him quickly.  
  
"... making a statement?"  
  
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled with hidden mirth.  
  
"Miss Sinlar, I suggest you speak to the potions master at once, and clarify you interaction with him."  
  
Chime slumped her shoulders in defeat. It was obvious she wasn't going to get anywhere with him. She mumbled a 'thank you' and when back down the stairs.  
  
She went back to her common room first, which was now inhabited by 3 males, whom now rested on cots close to the fireplace.  
  
Aragorn looked up at her and quickly wiped his smile from his face and exchanged it for concern over her apparent infuriation.  
  
"I assume the headmaster could not assist you?"  
  
The simple question added to her fury.  
  
She marched to her room, and threw open the door. Anna, who sat at the desk doing her homework, looked up startled and jumped from her chair. Chime stepped into the room and immediately flopped onto the bed.  
  
Anna came to stand at the foot of the bed and innocently lowered her eyes to meet her friends.  
  
"Dumbledore decided to stay out of it?"  
  
Chime glared at her.  
  
"What do you think?" she asked sarcastically.  
  
"I think he stayed out of it," confirmed Anna.  
  
"NICE JOB!" was her bitter reply.  
  
"Don't blame me!"  
  
"Well, you could have backed me up in front of Snape!"  
  
"Yeah, right. Are you insane?"  
  
"No, I'm not. You could have walked out with me."  
  
"Well, I've learned some things that I think would help you if you learned them. Don't piss off a witch or wizard. They're not muggles, and they CAN turn you into something. And especially don't make Snape any madder than he normally is."  
  
"Great.... This information would have been useful this morning."  
  
"Well, I didn't know you were actually going to walk out!"  
  
"Hello? Where have you been living the past few years? Since when have I not carried out something? I thought you'd know me by now."  
  
Anna didn't retaliate. She said nothing but stared down at Chime.  
  
Finally, after an uncomfortable silence, Anna simply said:  
  
"I told you to go to Dumbledore so that he could tell you that Snape was also your 'personalized' program teacher, a fact that I found out just after you stormed out of potions."  
  
"Well, it's a little late to be telling me 'why I should go see Dumbledore' because he's already told me."  
  
Anna left the foot of the bed and went back to the desk.  
  
"GO talk to Snape," she commanded, he back still facing Chime.  
  
Chime rested a few moments, trying to sort through her thoughts. She wasn't really mad at Anna; it's just that Anna always seemed to provoke her when she was slightly bummed. She loved Anna like a sister, which was really the way she liked things to be. She was an only child, and never truly had friends till Anna came along. She was always considered 'the weird one' or 'the loner'. It wasn't always bad- she spent most time by herself, but earned the title 'Tom boy' when she played with the guys in soccer or football. She liked her tome alone, but truly enjoyed Anna's company more.  
  
She breathed a heavy sigh. The newest and latest problem was that she had to make amends with Professor Snape, or at least obtain some civility and reasoning between the two. She was less worried about Anna, than Snape.  
  
She sighed again and rolled over in a front roll spring, hopping up from the bed.  
  
Moving reluctantly, she went to the door and left the room, smiling apologetically at the males, who sat at the table making up a random game of cards with the deck Chime's parents had included in her trunk.  
  
As she neared the common room entrance, Draco came out of his room, with a surprisingly determined look on his face. He moved towards her, and the men stood up, cautious of Draco's fast strides in the girl's direction.  
  
But, Draco merely rushed by, pushing open the portal, and exiting.  
  
"What ails him?" asked Legolas, sitting back down with the others.  
  
"Is that where he's been all day?" mused Anna, calmly leaning on the door frame of Chime's room, watching Chime standing immobile.  
  
Chime simply stood there, shock written clearly across her expressions.  
  
Anna became concerned and walked towards Chime, placing both hands on either shoulder and gently shaking her friend.  
  
"Chime? Earth to Chime?"  
  
No answer.  
  
"Chime get a grip! Draco wouldn't have done anything to you! Stop it! You're freaking me out!"  
  
Chime seemed to fall out of her reverie. She had been in a place where time stood still, and everything moved in slow motion.  
  
Draco had come towards her, his features clearly determined, but his eyes unseeing, as he set his aim on the exit behind her.  
  
Although he was unseeing, though, he was obviously coherent, for he had shoved the tiniest strip of paper into her robe pocket, to which everyone else in the room was oblivious.  
  
She left it there, thinking that he obviously wanted only her eyes to read it.  
  
She snapped to attention as Anna began shaking her again. Shrugging off Anna, while mumbling something incoherent about Snape, she spun on her heel, marched out the portal, and into the hallway darkness.  
  
She could still hear Draco's fast footsteps echoing in the silence of the tunnel, when she began following them. They were headed towards Potions, and that was where she needed to go. Dinner wasn't for another hour, and she needed to reconcile with Snape before he decided that apologies were out of the question.  
  
As she walked, she unraveled the small paper, and read the note.  
  
We need to talk. My room- 10 pm. DO NOT be late.  
  
She began to fume. What right did he have to order her around? After all he'd done and all the trouble he'd caused, he had the audacity to order her around?  
  
She let her mind wander onto unpleasant thoughts of how she could punish him- maybe hang him in the dungeon or call his 'prestigious' father in for a visit? Of course, the second thought didn't exactly have 'smart' written over it, seeing as how his father was in the ministry's custody. Or so she'd heard.  
  
She was so absorbed in her thoughts of torture that she didn't realize that she was at Snape's classroom until she walked into the wall, a foot to the left of the door. She stood there dazed for a moment, staring unblinkingly while the door opened.  
  
"I think you made the right decision," came Snape's voice as the words followed Draco out the door.  
  
He grabbed the doorknob and swung the door closed behind him. As he turned, he seemed to catch a glimpse of her, and spun around to face her. His face expressed a deep sorrow but quickly shifted to anger as he realized that she had pretty much followed him.  
  
He nodded curtly, and continued walking towards their living quarters.  
  
She stared at his retreating back and squared her shoulders, preparing herself for an intense drill down with the Professor.  
  
She entered the classroom, and spied the professor seated comfortably at his desk.  
  
She stepped carefully through the room, stepping amid the indent in the floor where the puddle of goop had rested earlier.  
  
As she approached, Snape seemed to sense company and looked up, his black eyes locking with Chime's.  
  
"Well, Miss Sinlar, it seems you are most popular- as well as unpopular," he drawled, replacing his quill in its stand, and folding his arms, slightly leaning back in his chair. "Dumbledore has been here, and spoken on your behalf, although I was not very surprised that he was not very supportive of your behavior. He has given me full decision on whether I allow you back in my class."  
  
Chime stopped her footsteps about 8 feet away from him.  
  
"Now, I'm assuming that you have come to me for a reason, and not to simply waste my valuable time?" the man continued, completely aware of the girl's insecurity.  
  
Chime's thoughts jumbled and she stuttered.  
  
"I....I...Well.... I..."  
  
"YES?"  
  
She managed to get her tongue in order.  
  
"I've come to apologize."  
  
Snape leaned further back in his chair.  
  
She continued.  
  
"Well, I know that the men- well, men and elf- that I'm supposed to be watching are trouble, but I guess it's my fault that I used them as an excuse to get out of class."  
  
Snape paused, and stared, scrutinizing her with his gaze.  
  
"I suppose that's about all the apology I'm going to get?" he remarked, standing up and moving around his desk to sit on the empty corner. "Now, to start things off, you will be serving detention for a night, on behalf of your lack of apology."  
  
Chime stood stock still.  
  
"Second of all, you will serve 2 nights of detention for your lack of respect towards me in the manner of which you speak. Thirdly, add another 4 nights onto that for you serious lack of judgement in departing my class. A week's detention," he mused.  
  
Chime flinched. She kept her mouth shut for fear of making it worse.  
  
"Now, Miss Sinlar, you will begin tomorrow night in your punishment, and you will report to this room at 7 o'clock. Had you been sorted into a house, 50 points would be gone."  
  
She flinched again.  
  
"On a further note, I've heard that Dumbledore informed you that I am your 'personalized trainer'. We will begin our sessions shortly after your detention ends, and I hope that your attitude will be less ill-mannered. Is that clear?"  
  
She nodded reluctantly.  
  
"Now, Miss Sinlar, vacate my room immediately or another day will be added each second."  
  
Chime nearly flew from the room, so afraid was she, and as she sunk to the floor outside the room, she thought bitterly:  
  
'He may be my teacher, but it don't mean I have to like him'. 


	20. Twiglefix

**** HEY Dudes... Special thanks to Darlene who pretty much wrote this, and to the sad ending of the Drama, and to Giblet for her Llamas, and to Renee, for wearing a skirt, and to Emily, for not returning my library movie, and to Phil, for having his mom question the footprint on his black pants in the crotch area, and to Jen, for putting the footprint in the crotch area. DISCLAIMER: these aren't my characters.*****  
  
She continued to sit there for awhile, hearing nothing but the dull aching in her head.  
  
After awhile, the aching subsided, and she got up, steadying herself against the wall.  
  
As she finally regained her composure, Snape's door opened, and Snape's figure emerged with a book in hand.  
  
He glanced down at her, his expression unreadable. His eyes darkened and he leered menacingly towards her.  
  
"Ms. Sinlar, it appears you enjoy disregarding my rules. Perhaps another day might add some respect for my discipline. A week and a day require your attention in detention. Please return to your common room promptly.  
  
Chime had not been frightened by his snarling demeanor. She had obliged him, hadn't she? She'd left his presence, and had taken a small breather outside his room. She'd followed his orders, and now he was punishing her for that?  
  
"Sir, respectfully, I am following your order. I have left your presence, but now your sought me out, and because of that, I am to blame? That's not fair. I left your classroom as you demanded and now penalize me because I did? How does that work?"  
  
He growled. His nose went up and his eyes became glazed black depths, like bottomless pits.  
  
"You dare to insult me outside my classroom?! How dare you?! Listen closely, Miss Sinlar. I have been very lenient. In fact, I have been entirely too lenient with you. And now, you will serve a full two weeks detention."  
  
Chime's jaw snapped. It wagged with unspoken insults that would make Snape's jaw drop. Legolas, Boromir, and Aragorn had spent the afternoon giving her points on how to insult, should she ever have the chance.  
  
She clamped her mouth shut.  
  
He gave her one last menacing look, and walked away.  
  
Chime groaned aloud.  
  
"It's not like I deserved any of that. If he actually listened to himself..." she muttered darkly, as she walked back down the hallway.  
  
Chime took extra long returning to her rooms. Her feet just dragged her along in an empty motion. She felt and heard nothing except for Snape's voice pounding over and over into her mind. She finally realized the time when she found herself outside the painting with Tiffany and Sir McLan.  
  
Quickly saying the password, she walked through the entrance hallway and into the awaiting warmth of the common room.  
  
Once in the room, she spied Draco in a cushioned chair, while the middle- Earthians sat across from him on their cots, openly giving him evil glares. As soon as she walked in, Draco jumped up and marched so that he barred her way.  
  
"Where the hell have you been?" he demanded. "You knew I needed to speak with you," he yelled, his face inches from hers.  
  
Chime merely gave him a look that clearly stated that he should just drop dead right there and then.  
  
"Night guys," she waved tiredly, to the men and elf that were slowly getting off their beds.  
  
Before she could reach her door, however, Draco managed to snag her arm and promptly dragged her to his room. The men and elf quickly moved to help her, but were caught by three stunning spells. Chime screamed fearfully as the three of them crumpled to the floor, unconscious.  
  
Chime was then thrust into Draco's chamber, where she stumbled and fell to the floor. Draco stood above her, his face red with anger.  
  
"When I say we're going to talk, WE ARE going to talk," he declared through clenched teeth.  
  
"Ouch." Chime looked at her bloody knee's which could be seen through the holes that the rough textured floor had caused.  
  
Draco's heart plummeted. He hadn't wanted to hurt her; he'd merely wanted to be heard before she shunned him for life. He needed her to do the tasks that he couldn't. Something nagged at him in the back of his brain.  
  
'What's going on?' he asked himself, as he tenderly took out his wand and cast a healing spell to clean her knees.  
  
Chime looked insecure at the gentleness that the Malfoy boy was demonstrating towards her. Then, blocking the image of a 'sweet and gentle' Malfoy from her mind, she replaced it with the anger of having herself thrown around for the desire of the boy before her.  
  
"So talk."  
  
Chime stood up, venom dripping from her mouth.  
  
Draco wondered where to start. He'd had it planned out, but, looking at the fact that he'd hurt her, he needed a different approach.  
  
"I-I... I'm sorry."  
  
Chime looked at the platinum haired male in front of her. She noticed the sincerity in his eyes as he said the words that she most wanted to hear. She nodded her forgiveness and waited for him to continue.  
  
Draco, unexplainably relieved, felt his Malfoy trademark take over. Confidence.  
  
"I'm going to the ministry to testify against my father." He paused to let his statement sink in. "In the process of doing so, I am to become the youngest richest bachelor in the wizarding word." Draco smirked. "However while I'm gone I need you to look after a......few things for me." He paused again to give his dignified dramatic effect.  
  
"Which are?" Chime grumbled, thinking 'life couldn't get any worse'.  
  
"Well, for one, you need to keep those damned things under control," he declared maliciously, waving his hand towards the door, where just outside the two men, and elf lay in heaps on the floor. "Secondly, to look after my cat, Twiglefix."  
  
Chime snorted.  
  
"You have a cat? Named Twiglefix?"  
  
Chime laughed.  
  
"So? What's wrong with that? And Twiglefix is a fine name. Besides, I don't see you with a pet of your own."  
  
Draco crossed his arms over his chest.  
  
"What do I need a pet for when I have a ferret in the room next door and 3 jungle people in my living room? More to the point, I would have you going for a snake or something instead, but..." Chime shrugged her shoulders.  
  
Draco blanched at the word "Ferret". He grew furious.  
  
"WHO TOLD YOU?! Was it Potter? I bet it was... or perhaps Weasley spoke to you!" he raged.  
  
Chime looked frightened as she watched his tirade and asked quietly:  
  
"What the hell are you talking about?"  
  
Draco stopped his pacing and looked at the girl in front of him. He saw himself in her eyes and saw the puzzlement of the situation in her expression. Satisfied that she had no idea of what he was going on about, he felt his anger melt, and decided to go on with what he had to say.  
  
Draco continued.  
  
"And I also need you to keep my rooms clean, I don't know when I would be getting back. And to get all my homework from my teachers, and....."  
  
He had to actually think about whether he wanted her to do the last one. Making up his mind, he walked over to the night stand beside his bed, muttered a few unlocking spells and took something out. It was a black leather bound book. He cautiously walked back over to her.  
  
"I want you to swear on you life, no matter what happens or no matter who, not even those damned people out there, that you'll guard what I'm about to give you with your life. Can you promise me?"  
  
Draco looked into her eyes looking for any hidden evilness or mistrust. He'd never noticed how her emerald eyes shined with life. It brought out the softness in her face, making her almost child-like, making him lose specter in the duty he was asking of her.  
  
"Promise? What for? I mean, you actually expect me to do something for you? After all you've done? After all you've caused?!" she ranted, her temper getting the better of her.  
  
He gave her a knowing look. He knew how she was feeling.  
  
"I know. Why should you trust me? Why should you do anything for me? I know I can't change the evilness that you think I hold, but I'm trying to show you that most things that I do, are done for a reason, and it's not always the reason you're looking for. I need you to look after these for me, because you're the closest person to my room, because they'd never suspect you'd have it, and because--"  
  
He struggled to finish. He hated this... he meant every word he said, for once in his life, and wanted to somehow show her the truth at hand.  
  
"Because you have help, and because you have an aura around you that separates you- that protects you, from everyone else."  
  
He looked her into her eyes again.  
  
"Please...," he pleaded gently, using a soft voice that sent shivers down her spine, "I need your help. Please Promise me?"  
  
She felt lost. He was almost begging her. She didn't know who "They" were, but he said they wouldn't look for it from her. She also didn't understand the whole 'Aura' thing, but maybe that could be explained later.  
  
'It must be really important' she thought. 'Maybe I shouldn't get involved. What if 'they' find out I have it?' But then, her thoughts took a different path. 'He's never looked so sincere, and so scared.'  
  
"I promise- But what is it?"  
  
Chime wasn't sure if she should promise, but felt the sudden urge to.  
  
He searched her face one last time before he told her:  
  
"This is a journal of all the things, notes and stuff, the Death Eaters where planning on doing."  
  
Chime gasped, covering her mouth with her hand.  
  
"I made a copy of it to bring with me," he continued. "I left some things out, more important things- highly important things, that I need to have saved, or else we'll all end up dead."  
  
He didn't know why he trusted her with this but he just felt that he should. He hadn't been around Chime long enough to really get to know her, but when he was near her, she sparked a weird energy into his cold heart. He always felt the need to justify himself around her, though she more often than not proved him wrong in the short span of time that she'd been around. He knew he could just trust her. He then handed her the book and turned to leave. Once he reached his door he turned back to her.  
  
"Can you really promise that it'll be safe?"  
  
Chime nodded, unable to speak.  
  
She looked so frightened, that Draco felt the need to comfort her. He went back to where she stood and stood close enough to look her in the eye.  
  
"Don't worry, everything will be fine. Just keep that book safe, and everything will turn out."  
  
With that said, he turned to leave, but as he turned, he felt compulsion overrun him. He looked into deep green depths, and looked lower, to her lips. Before he knew what he was doing, he leaned in, and pressed a light butterfly kiss to her lips, just barely touching her. Then, without another thought, he walked out the door, stepped over the middle-earthen bodies, and was gone, leaving a confused Chime behind. 


	21. Weighted Down

WELL. It's been a long and grueling past weeks. Between Drama, friends at each other's throats, the Spanish fiesta, my birthday, and the rainy trip to Algonquin, it's been interesting. Cheers. I'm officially old enough to sign my own get out of class slips. HELL YEAH! Anyways, here's the chapter. It's screwed. I know. I was out of my mind. Feel free to review me and tell me that. And, now that we've established that, I can move on to tell you that these aren't my characters, but J.K. Rowling and J.R.R. Tolkien. Toodles.  
  
'What the hell did I do that for?' he scolded himself.  
  
Draco walked back towards Snape's office carrying his copy of the journal- angry at himself for even thinking, or doing, what he did.  
  
"What the fuck was I thinking- kissing that-that thing?" he growled to himself.  
  
He walked on.  
  
"Sure, she's kind of pretty with those big emerald eyes..." 'Stop that! Merlin's beard! What's happened to me?'  
  
He was so caught up in his anger and self-denial that he nearly walked past Snape's door. He knocked angrily on the door and attempted to school his features. Snape opened the door to find an angry Draco, whose eyes were blazing.  
  
Snape looked down at his young student.  
  
"Are you ready? Are you entirely certain that you want to do this?"  
  
'What is he playing at? First he tells me that I've made the right decision, and now he's having doubts? No, I can't handle that. I won't deal with that.'  
  
"Let's just get this over with."  
  
Snape nodded and they entered the room, heading straight for the fireplace. A large cabinet stood next to it and Snape went to it.  
  
He pulled a pot off a shelf and held it in front of Draco as the young man placed a hand into the pot and retrieved some small grained floo powder. Then, taking a handful himself, he waited for his student to enter the empty fireplace.  
  
Draco took a deep breath. He really didn't want to do this.  
  
"Ministry of magic," Draco called as he stepped into green flames. Snape followed soon after.  
  
"How dare that conniving weasel kiss me?" Chime mutter angrily to herself. "Wait- correction- How dare that conniving 'ferret' kiss me? And why did I let him do it? And what the hell was he talking about??! "Because you have an aura around you that separates you- that protects you"... Right! What does that mean?"  
  
At that moment, she realized that she was still in Draco's room and went out into the common room.  
  
As she exited the Slytherin's bedroom, she stopped and stared as the three middle-earthians, who had tried to help her, began to regain consciousness.  
  
It was Legolas who moved first, rolling onto his side and stretching himself out, but all the while mumbling in his language.  
  
He was shortly followed by Aragorn, who was on his stomach, and reaching out in front of him, rolling his shoulders on the floor.  
  
Boromir hadn't moved. Chime went to him, kneeling beside him as she went, and looked at him closely. She picked up his head, and held it in her arm, using the other one to tap him on the cheek in an attempt at waking him up. He still didn't budge.  
  
She sighed, and went to the nearest table, picking up a discarded glass of water. She went back to him, and gently poured some of the fluid onto his face, where it stayed. He didn't move.  
  
Frustrated, she dumped the rest of the glass onto his face and stomped back to the table, where she slammed the empty glass down.  
  
Gasp. Gasp.  
  
She looked back at the figure on the floor and saw movement, and awareness seep into Boromir's body. Running to his side, she once again cradled his head in her arms, wiping water from his eyes.  
  
"You're alive."  
  
"At this moment, I wish for nothing more than to be dead."  
  
She laughed. She looked up to see Legolas and Aragorn slowly but reassuredly walking to their cots. She looked back down at the man she held.  
  
"Can you walk?"  
  
Aragorn and Legolas seemed to be okay but Boromir was not. She began to realize that she would have to help him back to his cot.  
  
Putting down the journal that she realized she still held in her hand, she took his arm and draped it across her shoulders, holding it there with one hand- the other, wrapped around his waist to help support the weight.  
  
The walked slowly and with baby steps, towards the cot, Boromir slouching and nearly being carried to his cot.  
  
They were almost there- about 2 feet away, when Boromir tried to step onto the rug that his cot resided on. As he moved his foot, the mat flipped up, and doubled over, causing his next foot to catch it.  
  
He stumbled and fell, bringing Chime with him.  
  
They both groaned. Chime, squirming under the crushing weight, relaxed, realizing that she wasn't going anywhere until Boromir moved.  
  
Boromir, realizing the same thing, decided to move.  
  
"Sorry," he apologized as he rolled off of her.  
  
Chime's body filled with heat, butterflies forming in her stomach. She had never realized how content she was to be flattened by a heavier weight- Boromir's weight. He was hard and muscled everywhere from warrior-hood, and was surprisingly soft in placed where she was muscled. It was like a well formulated puzzle, being pieced together. She looked at him as she sat up.  
  
"It's okay," she breathed, her heart beating frantically.  
  
She watched as a slight blush caress his cheeks, while he looked back at her. Chime realized that she was only a few inches away from him when she felt herself drawn to him. She leaned in, momentarily noticing that he was doing the same, and sighed. Her eyes fluttered closed as she felt the soft pressure from his lips.  
  
His hand crept up, and cupped the back of her head, pulling her in more, even as she moved closer. Her hands sat still at her sides, not knowing what to do with them, but not entirely caring as Boromir took control of the kiss. She felt her face react to his week's growth of beard, and felt the soft roughened texture of it as it brushed against her skin.  
  
A cough broke the two apart. Chime's face blazed. She stood up abruptly.   
"I-I have to go."  
  
She walked determinedly to her room, picking up the journal while ignoring the looks from Aragorn and the elf, and shut the door to her room, locking herself inside.  
  
Bracing herself against the door, she scolded herself. "What were you thinking? What have you done?"  
  
She stomped to the bed and sat down at the end of the bed, looking at the door. She could hear them talk about her. They weren't yelling, but trying to make it so she couldn't hear them as they told Boromir that what he did was wrong. She didn't care. She had more important matters to attend to.  
  
She stared at the floor in front of her with unseeing eyes. "How could you be so stupid? So what are you- a slut?" she asked herself. "First, you let Draco kiss you- and for what? Because he said something to you? Right. And now, you go and make out with Boromir?"  
  
She mentally hit herself. "What's next? Sleeping with them? Damn it all."  
  
She began pacing her room as she came to a sudden conclusion.  
  
"This is all Draco's fault. If he hadn't of gotten my emotions up, I wouldn't be in this situation."  
  
She paused, watching the red flags go up in her mind, and sighed a sigh of defeat.  
  
"Alright, so it's not Draco's fault. I probably would have kissed Boromir anyway. I suppose I need to talk with him."  
  
She felt herself shake with fear at the thought. She needed to do it. Now.  
  
She walked to the door, and opened it, putting her head out slightly. Silence greeted her.  
  
"Boromir? May I have a word with you?"  
  
She heard shuffling feet, and moments later, a fully recovered Boromir was inching through the doorway, and standing in the middle of the room. She closed the door, and silenced him as he began to talk.  
  
"My lady- I-I-...."  
  
She took out her wand and cast a silence charm on the room, disabling the two in the common room from eavesdropping.  
  
She nodded, signaling that he could talk, but instead, she took the initiative and spoke.  
  
"Boromir. Please sit down. We need to talk."  
  
Boromir sat at the desk, resting his hands in his lap and staring with rapt attention to the young woman in front of him.  
  
Chime squirmed under the intense gaze.  
  
"Boromir- I'm sorry for what happened in the common room. I'm not usually like that, and I-"  
  
He interrupted her.  
  
"Chime, I take full responsibility for that kiss. I understand that you are a young woman and that you probably don't have many- er- what is it that Aragorn said- dates, and that I am a full grown man who should not have taken advantage of you. For that crime, I am willing to be lashed."  
  
Chime's eyes grew wide at his speech.  
  
"Boy, you have thought this out. But, where the hell did you get the idea that we lash people around here?"  
  
Boromir looked puzzled.  
  
"But it is what is done when one has done something wrong. It is the only punishment I know."  
  
Chime smiled wickedly. 'Obviously this guy's never met a dominatrix.' She decided to tell him what was going through her mind.  
  
"Boromir- don't take this the wrong way, but I am desperately confused. I've never had someone kiss me that way- actually, I've never really been kissed, either."  
  
He nodded.  
  
She continued.  
  
"Well, as I said, I'm confused, but even still, I can't let you take all the blame. My emotions are all crazed, and I can't do anything about it. I don't know what I'm trying to say, but I do know that I don't want you to be angry at yourself or anything of the sort."  
  
He nodded slowly, understanding.  
  
"Well, with that said, I don't know what to do about you and I. Some mental part of my brain is telling me to enjoy the time I have with you, but the rest creates this big-"  
  
He cut her off with his mouth.  
  
He kissed her slowly, gently coaxing her lips open with his tongue. She sighed, feeling relaxed and secure in his arms and immediately growled in frustration as her thoughts kept returning to the fact that he wasn't taking the situation seriously. She pushed away from him, allowing him to hold her at arms length.  
  
"Boromir," she gasped, finally able to breathe. "Boromir- what are you doing? We need to talk about this. People are going to know if we have a relationship, and they're going to question it. We can't-"  
  
He once again, cut her off, giving her a quick kiss, and looking into her eyes.  
  
"I have no regard for what the others might think. At the moment, all I care about is kissing you." With that said, he leaned forward to kiss her.  
  
She pushed him away.  
  
"Boromir!" she screamed. "I told you, I don't want a relationship until I know what I want. Until then, stay away from me. Don't argue. I can't deal with this."  
  
She motioned towards the door.  
  
"Leave. I know now how you feel, but I can't... Please, I'll talk to you as soon as I figured things out."  
  
He grumbled, and walked towards the door. As he got there, he stopped, and looked down on her with a mild glare- as though he didn't truly mean it.  
  
"Where I come from, women have no rights. They are objects to be desired and possessed. Here is one of the few places that this does not happen. Women have choices here, and this is how they use them? By declaring themselves too confused to be knowledgeable? I do hope there are others here who understand the privileges that they are given."   
  
He turned and left the room. 


	22. A clue and a death trip

Hey People. I hope conflicts are resolved. Umm... anyone got an extra job they want to offer? I need one for the summer. Anyways- here's the chapter. Disclaimer- They aren't mine, I borrowed 'em from J.K. Rowlings and J.R.R. Tolkien. Toodles!  
  
The sun shone brightly through the window, warming Chime to the point that she began to shift under the blankets. She stretched her feet out and immediately regretted it as something bit her toe. She looked down, and saw the attacker. A mangy blue ball of fur that resembled a cat, stood at her feet, cleaning himself.  
  
She'd found Twiglefix shortly after Boromir had left, hidden under her dresser. Apparently, Draco gave him free range of the household. She'd found some food in her room shortly after, apparently left by Draco in his preparation to leave.  
  
She'd come to a truce of sorts with the feline, but he still enjoyed his playful sense. He resembled a cat, although the blue fur had changed Chime's view of cats. It was a dark blue, with what looked like a yellow furred belly. It's ears were short, and it was longhaired.  
  
She sighed, resigning that it was morning and acknowledged her near sleepless night wearily, thinking about the comfort of the cat that had somewhat calmed her nerves.  
  
She'd thought long into the night, and had only come to a semi- relieving decision- she wanted neither boy, nor man.  
  
Hanging her head, she sighed heavily, and climbed from bed.  
  
She didn't like her decision, she had no doubts in that department, but to stay away from both of them seemed the only solution to be had.  
  
'Besides' she thought as she got dressed 'Boromir would eventually be sent home, and where would that leave her? Out on the curb with yesterday's discards. And Draco- Well, he was a muggle hater, and who knew what was going on in his platinum head?'  
  
She sighed again.  
  
'No' she told herself 'I'm not getting involved with either of them.'  
  
With that reasoning in mind, she brushed her hair, grabbed her books, and walked out the door, stopping only to place out a plate of food for the blue ball of fur cuddled on her bed.  
  
As she left the room, she was met with a surprise.  
  
Dumbledore sat calmly, drinking a morning cup of tea with the three Middle- Earthians at the table.  
  
The old man looked up at her, and smiled.  
  
"Good morning Ms. Sinlar. I trust you slept well?"  
  
It was a polite inquiry, which he deemed necessary to ask in conversation, though the bluish bags under her eyes told all.  
  
Chime smiled and nodded. The three Middle Earthians looked at her skeptically, Boromir doing so sadly, as though regretting something.  
  
Shaking her mind away from the dark blond, she returned it to the matter of the Headmaster in her common room.  
  
"Sir, might I ask, what has brought you here?" she asked curiously.  
  
The headmaster smiled.  
  
"Actually, I've come bearing news. We- Professor Snape, Lupin, and I, believe we have found a way for our guests to return home."  
  
Chime inhaled deeply, slightly relieved.  
  
"As I was just explaining to these gentlemen," continued the old man, "We've discovered something that we think may have been the way the men were brought here."  
  
The men listened with rapt attention as the old man took a sip of tea, and cleared his throat.  
  
"It is a Vortex, of sorts. It is similar to a portkey, but it works on a small space- the space of a mirror, actually, and it is likely thinner than a mirror. It is a dimension leaping device that only occurs when the full moon comes forth. Incidentally, the last was nearly three weeks ago, and the latest will happen in a week and three days time."  
  
There was silence. Complete silence. It was a death eating quiet only broken by shallow breathing.  
  
Aragorn spoke into the dim.  
  
"So, are you saying that we are able to go home?"  
  
Dumbledore smiled and nodded.  
  
"Yes, correct. In a week and three days."  
  
Aragorn grinned, his face losing the stress it had acquired, and stared between his steward and his long time friend.  
  
"You hear that, friends? Within time, we shall be returned to our loved ones."  
  
Legolas mirrored Aragorn's smile.  
  
Boromir, however, remained silent and immobile, his face expressionless.  
  
His companions, silently smiling their pleasure, ignored him.  
  
"The full moon, sir? What does it exactly do for this portal thingy?" interrupted Chime.  
  
Dumbledore looked up from his cup of tea, his brow furrowing slightly.  
  
"Well, my dear, it is a perplexing question that you pose me with. Even some things in the wizarding world are simply resolved by calling them 'magic' and they remain unexplainable. We- the Professors, and I, have not yet unearthed the secret to the Vortex, though it remains a fact that it occurs. Now, the one detail that evades us is location. We are in the process of determining the place in which the device is situated. I don't suppose you gentlemen have any more information which could aid us, no?"  
  
Aragorn looked off the side, his brow thick in concentration. Legolas stared unblinkingly at the wooden cabinet behind the Dunedain, his pupils wide. Boromir stared at his hands, his eyes half-lidded, and his face in thought.  
  
Chime watched Boromir closely. His longish hair fell into his face, and he absentmindedly brushed it aside.  
  
'He's cute when he's spaced out' she thought before mentally kicking herself. 'Stop it! You promised you wouldn't do this!'  
  
Dumbledore looked at her with his all-knowing smile.  
  
Chime, taken aback, walked backwards, slowly, her books pressed against her chest.  
  
'What does he know? Can he know? Does he know everything? Wait- Does it matter? I mean, Boromir is going home, anyways, right? But does he know of Draco?'  
  
As she finished up that thought, Boromir stood up suddenly, startling her so she fell completely into the cabinet on her right, dropping her books to the floor.  
  
"I remember!" he called, drowning out her startled gasps. Once he had all eyes on him, he continued. "I remember a lake, and two great trees. I remember the blinding light of Sunrise, as something disturbed the water."  
  
Dumbledore stood up, his hands palm down on the table, bracing himself.  
  
"Did you see anything else?"  
  
Boromir, gripping the back of his chair, looked at the table's shiny surface and blinked repeatedly, trying to remember.  
  
"I do not remember much else. I suppose I had woken early, as we departed the –Vortex- and I saw great trees looming above me, with golden leaves- nearly gone, mind you, but golden all the same. I was turned about at this point, and as I turned, someone caught my awareness. The last I remember was a stone Turret, looming in the distance."  
  
Aragorn and the elf looked at Boromir with admiration for the man's attention to detail. They moved their gaze to Dumbledore, who stood, pursing his lips together.  
  
It seemed like an eternity before the great old man spoke again.  
  
"Well, I believe we have found our portal. I must depart to inform the Professors immediately. Please excuse me." He began to walk away from the table, before turning around slightly, and regarding Boromir, said: "You've done well."  
  
With that said, he left the room.  
  
Boromir looked down at the table as he sat, and ignored the babble from his friends. He seemed at a loss of words, emotions, and even energy. He mentally questioned himself as to what could have triggered such a reaction, but could come up with no ethical answer. He could not even feel the energy to raise his head, and soon felt Chime do it for him, raising his gaze from the table to her own. He saw her mouth moving, and yet, no sound could be heard to him. He could not hear anything except the prominent roar that threatened to crush his eardrums.  
  
He gazed into her eyes, unable to muster the strength to plead for help, and merely lost himself in her eyes, before the blackness came and overpowered his vision- and so, Boromir thought no more.  
  
"It is a wonderful thing to be able to return home. We have been away for far too long," commented Legolas, smiling a perfectly toothed mouth.  
  
"I agree. It will be wondrous to return to Arwen. She and my son must be deathly afraid at my absence," answered Aragorn.  
  
"Ah, but do not worry too much, my friend. Arwen is as strong as a shield maiden and as stubborn as a mule- at times."  
  
"Are you comparing my beloved to a mule? Why you nancy-prancy elf, I should challenge you for your insolence!" yelled Aragorn, and laughed along with Legolas at the outburst. "It is true, she can be determined when need be."  
  
Chime stood, leaning on the cabinet, a foot on her books. She was watching Boromir, and his sunken expression, as though he was suddenly becoming very tense, and very old. She half listened to the conversation around her, and attuned her senses to picking up the problems that was occurring with the man she had kissed.  
  
She took a few tentative steps towards him, watching his gaze on the table top remain glued to a spot on the right. She glanced there, and found nothing peculiar about it, nor any problems with it. She moved her gaze back to Boromir and approached his side, lowering herself so that she rested on her knees at his side. His gaze did not even flicker.  
  
She reached forward, her hands grasping the softness of his beard and raised his head to look her in the eye. What she found shocked her.  
  
His eyes were half-lidded, a minority compared to the rest of his face. It was suddenly etched with harsh lines of old, wrinkles, and blue blotches under his eyes, as though he'd lost a fair amount of sleep.  
  
"Aragorn! Legolas! Help me!"  
  
Aragorn and Legolas were on their feet and at her side within moments. Aragorn studied Boromir's features and shook his head in wonderment.  
  
"Chime, please go and get Professor Dumbledore immediately. We need him, now!"  
  
Chime put down her hands, allowing the Dark blonde's drooping head to rest in Aragorn's hands. Straightening herself, she fled, determined to catch up with Dumbledore as quickly as possible.  
  
She ran, while tears from an unknown origin streamed from her eyes, causing her to look thoroughly disheveled. She didn't see the stairs that she tripped down, or the elongated hallways; she merely wanted to see the long and vibrant robes that the headmaster wore.  
  
She turned a corner and nearly ran into Professor Lupin.  
  
"Chime, what is it?" he asked, after holding her for a moment- enough time for him to see the tears. "Come now, what is it?"  
  
Chime gasped for breath, the pressure and exertion of running down flights of stairs causing her lungs to compress, to strain all air from them. She caught a slight breath and choked.  
  
"Dumbledore... need...."  
  
Lupin held her at arms length and took his right arm from her shoulder. Reaching into his robes, he pulled out a small mirror and his wand. Taking his other arm from her, he quickly cast a spell on the mirror using one arm to hold it and the other to hold his wand. He held the mirror away from him and saw Dumbledore in the reflection.  
  
"Yes, Remus, what is it?"  
  
Lupin regarded Chime closely, who was now bent over and coughing on air.  
  
"I have Ms. Sinlar in my presence. She's been running through the castle, and I believe she has been looking for you."  
  
"Very well, I will be there momentarily."  
  
Professor Lupin replaced his mirror in his pocket, and used his wand to conjure a glass of water. Handing it to her, he kept his arm around her, afraid she might fall. She took the water, spilling some out of nerves and loss of breath. She took a few sips, feeling the cool liquid burn down her throat, and making her gasp and choke harder. Moments later, a thundering crack reverberated throughout the halls, and with a puff of smoke, Dumbledore stood before them, a serious look on his face.  
  
"What is it, Ms. Sinlar? What has happened?" he demanded.  
  
Chime pointed upwards, in the vague direction of her common room and mumbled.  
  
"Need... you.... Boromir... trouble... problem... don't know..." she wheezed.  
  
"Right. I'll apparate up there. Remus, inform Madame Pomfrey and tell her that she is to come to the Head boy and girl's dormitory immediately."  
  
Another earth-shattering crack and he was gone.  
  
Lupin stood tall, his arm still comfortably around Chime.  
  
"I must go," he said quietly. "I will be back. Are you able to return on your own?"  
  
Chime nodded, understanding that he needed to fetch help.  
  
"Right then. I will see you upstairs." With that, he followed Dumbledore's example and apparated with a "Crack!"  
  
Chime slowly drew breath, and crouched low, expanding her crushed lungs. After a few moments, she had sufficiently gathered enough air into her lungs and began her trek back up the stairs to her common room.  
  
When she arrived, she could barely enter the common room. They had moved Boromir to his cot, and had laid him down. Madame Pomfrey stood over him, her wand out, and a few vials at her side on the floor.  
  
"Perhaps, Ms. Sinlar, it would be best if you went to breakfast?" came Dumbledore's gruff voice.  
  
Chime looked at him incredulously.  
  
"But sir, he is my friend! How can I concentrate on school when a person who I'm supposed to be looking after is in danger of losing his life... errs... again?"  
  
Dumbledore shook his head.  
  
"Ms. Sinlar, you cannot aid in this matter, but since you feel so strongly, I will permit you to remain although you must stay out of the way. Agreed?"  
  
Chime nodded, and moved through the room, to the far side of Boromir's cot, where Legolas and Aragorn stood. They admitted her into their semi-circle and wrapped an arm around her.  
  
Madame Pomfrey sighed heavily and picked up a vial of clear liquid.  
  
"I have seen this before. It is the symptom of 'Oblitis'. It is a spell of memory loss. The pain only occurs when the bearer of such a curse tries to remember something that they've been originally spelled not to. It seems that this man is stronger than imaginable. With all that you've told me he remembered, it seems that the spell was either poorly cast, or he was too powerful for it, and only when he relaxed his mind, did the pain take effect."  
  
She administrated the vial to Boromir's lips, dropping small drops into his nearly shut mouth.  
  
It took a few moments, but reaction was nearly immediate. His face began to take on his old form, his harsh lines disappearing, and the blue underneath his eyes dissipating.  
  
Chime and the elf and man gasped as one, and quickly clung more tightly to each other, relief flooding through them.  
  
Though Boromir did not wake up, he did look much better, and everyone sighed with relief.  
  
"I will now administer a sleeping draught that will make him feel better, whenever he wakes," continued the nurse. "I trust that someone will stay with him?"  
  
Aragorn and Legolas nodded, and thanked the lady. Madame Pomfrey waved away their thanks, and after administering the potion, began packing up her belongings. Chime, straying from the two males, went to her.  
  
"Excuse me, Madame Pomfrey?"  
  
The woman looked up quizzically.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I was wondering... These... Symptoms... are they permanent?"  
  
Pomfrey smiled, shaking her head.  
  
"No. It is a simple matter of taking the one thing that can deter the effects of the spell permanently- 'Ricord Mansinthor'. It is what I gave him."  
  
Chime nodded meekly and thanked the woman, watching her leave with Professor Lupin.  
  
Dumbledore remained, his lips once again pursed.  
  
"I think it is best if he stays here in the comfort of his friends," he commented. "It appears he has no injuries, so I believe that he can remain here. You men will take care of him, won't you?"  
  
Once again, the middle-earthians nodded.  
  
"Very well. Ms. Sinlar, I expect you in class this morning. Breakfast will soon be finishing. Go and get some food. I will provide for these gentlemen."  
  
Chime nodded reluctantly, not wanting to leave Boromir's side. She went to where she had dropped her books, and picked them up, one by one, stacking them neatly in a pile in her arms.  
  
As she picked up the last book, Twiglefix came from her room, and, before anyone could stop him, he hopped onto Boromir's chest, and curled into a ball, immediately going to sleep.  
  
Chime smiled weakly, and began to leave the room, just as Anna walked in, unbearably cheery.  
  
"Morning Chime! I saw you weren't at breakfast so I figured you'd slept in," she said as she handed Chime a breakfast roll with jam in a napkin. She spotted Boromir on his cot, and Aragorn and Legolas watching him like a hawk. They looked at her momentarily and waved lightly. "Hey? What happened to Boromir? He's such a sleepy head."  
  
Chime shook her head and clutched her books close. Aragorn and Legolas growled and glared at Anna. Anna, taken aback, turned to question Chime, when she saw Dumbledore watching her.  
  
"Oh. Um. Good morning Headmaster."  
  
"Ms. Thomas. I suggest you run along now. I'm sure that Chime will inform you of ... recent events."  
  
Anna looked startled and was about to ask what he was talking about when Chime shoved her out the portal. 


	23. Truth

Disclaimer- They ain't mine. sighz I'll miss you people. With the school year gone, and a lot of people off to University or College- well, it'll be lonely without people. But... As for the people who are back next year- I'LL SEE YOU SOON!!!! Love ya guyz  
  
"The boy has full claim as heir to the mansion and all assets that his father and his deceased mother may have had. But that brings us to the next decision- who will act as legal guardian for the boy until he reaches age of majority?"  
  
Draco inwardly fumed.  
  
'Must they put so much emphasis on the fact that my mother is dead? Can't they leave it well enough alone? And how many times could they declare me 'a boy' when I've been through so much within the courts? Did they not care?'  
  
That thought reminded him of what he and his father meant to the courts. Very little.  
  
'No, of course they don't care. They're just a bunch of blokes, despising my family's existence for trouble within the ministry. They didn't care about him, as long as he didn't waste their time, nor wreak havoc.'  
  
It'd been like that since his very arrival last night. First, they'd seen that he was a child, an underage wizard brought in by some man because he'd done something for trouble. The receptionist had not even cared for their names. They'd nearly spent 4 hours there, without a single glace, nor question thrown their way.  
  
It wasn't until a man from the ministry, a Joseph Bloomhopper- a man residing over his father's case- had come out from the back rooms, apparently on his way home. By this point, it was late evening, and all courtrooms were closing shop. Joseph, seeing Severus Snape and Draco Malfoy, quickly scolded the receptionist for not informing him of their presence.  
  
He'd then nearly embraced them with open arms, while telling them that they'd been thought no shows, and therefore postponing the trial until the next morn.  
  
To Draco, he seemed like a jaunty fellow- a man with an exorbitant amount of energy, and always a moment to spare for friends and work. His snazzy sports coat and balding head made him look not snazzy at all, but rather wormlike, almost like a weasel.  
  
Then, with the joyful ministry advisor leading, he'd marched them in front of his supervisors, demanding that they be given adequate accommodations in a nearby place so that they did not have to make a long journey back to Hogwarts. His boss agreeing, they were sent in a ministry car to an exclusive hotel, where luxury and refinement were important factors.  
  
That night, Draco's dreams were turned dark, and foreboding, his nightmares being so bad, that they plagued even his waking dreams the next day. They called to him, daring him to dream them again, storming through his thoughts so often that he had to try and clear his mind for nearly the whole day.  
  
As said, it was an exquisite hotel, with scented soaps for the bath, a mini bar with fresh fruit, a balcony with a scenic view, and even round the clock room service to fulfill every craving or need that you may have. And through it all, Draco could not sleep. He tossed and turned through all hours, and when awake, attempted not to wake Severus who was in the bed next to him.  
  
Now, back at the ministry the next day, he'd once again been trivialized for being a child. A newer receptionist, this one with purple hair and a love of Lilac perfume inhabited the check in desk. She took down their names, and then, it seemed, forgot them. It wasn't until after 3 hours of waiting, that Joseph came out looking for them, and found them, finishing off the last of the wizarding magazines in the waiting room.  
  
Soon, however, they were seated in a wizard courtroom, drowned in as much coffee and donuts that they could want, and invariably, they still were kept waiting as the judge took his time. Eventually, however, court went into session, and Draco was called to the stand. He'd taken many deep breaths, and was thankful that the ministry had thought to examine him without his father's presence. He'd walked to the front of the room, and now sat, on a leather plush chair, telling his father's crimes.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy, can you tell the court that your father was an honest man?" asked Jeremiah Lownsten, a prosecutor.  
  
The man had been known for his flare for getting to the point and being blunt, which had left Draco a little unsettled in his account of his father's activities.  
  
"And in which part would you ask that, Mr. Lownsten? My father was honest to nearly everyone," Draco had replied curtly.  
  
Lownsten laughed. "And who are you referring to when you say 'nearly everyone', Mr. Malfoy? Who was not included in this regard?"  
  
Draco felt his anger swell up inside him.  
  
'Wasn't it enough that I've come to incriminate my father? Do they have to know of every meager little lie? Apparently so.'  
  
"My father spoke truthfully until such time came that he felt he needed to protect my mother, myself, or himself. He was courteous to those who gave him the same respect that he gave them, and I do not wish to have to explain his motivation of life within my lifetime," he spat out through gritted teeth.  
  
He could see Severus standing in the back, trying to tell him to calm down, but he was promptly blocked from view by the large Prosecutor.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy, would you kindly lower your temper. This courtroom is not a daycare, young man." Lownsten looked at him smugly, waiting for a reply.  
  
'He's purposely goading me on. What does he think I'll do- throw a crying fit? And why is he going against me? Aren't they happy to have the 'infamous' Lucius Malfoy in their grasp? What the hell's going on here?'  
  
Apparently, Severus Snape was thinking the same thing.  
  
"Your honor, I object," he began, speaking to the judge and interrupting the man questioning him. When the judge looked at him, Severus began again.  
  
"Your honor, I object to the manner in which this young man has been questioned. He is being subjected to the questioning done to prisoners, but, I ask, keep in mind that Draco Malfoy has willingly come forward. He does not need to be questioned rashly, nor should he be subjected to the undisciplined interrogation techniques of Mr. Lownsten. He is merely fishing for information, making young Mr. Malfoy here upset and temperamental. I suggest a new questioner be introduced to the court."  
  
Draco mentally vowed to hurt Snape.  
  
'He thinks me temperamental? Wait until he sees Potter. Well, at least he didn't call me "Boy".'  
  
The judge- a woman in her late thirties, with short blond hair, violet eyes, and a quirked mouth- a Ms. Agatha Teogler looked down on him with a hard look. After a few moments, she nodded slightly and looked around her courtroom.  
  
"Mr. Severus Snape is correct, although I wish that he would kindly keep his disruptions to himself. I doubt the proficiency within Mr. Lownsten's examination should be concluded as adequate. I wish for a new interrogator. Court will resume until a new one is found. Court is dismissed until 9 am tomorrow-"  
  
"That will not be necessary."  
  
The room was silent as the doors to the courtroom opened, drowning out the protestations of Mr. Lownsten and there stood Percy Weasley.  
  
He strode into the room amid the quiet ramblings of the spectators and walked right to the front. Judge Teogler looked down on him, her mouth a frown as she glared.  
  
"Mr. Weasley? What is the meaning of this?"  
  
Percy shuffled the papers under his arm and smiled politely, displaying total confidence.  
  
'What does Weasley want? It's bad enough I have to deal with two of them at school, but here? This is ridiculous! And why does he want to question me? Why does he look so smug? What does he want?'  
  
"Judge Teogler, I am under authority by the minister of magic, that I may be used as examiner with the judge's consent. I wish to volunteer myself for this position, in light of the person whom we are dealing with."  
  
Teogler's eyes twinkled in amusement, a feature quite similar to Dumbledore, in retrospect. She shifted into a straighter position and signified her deputy.  
  
"Take note, that in regards to the examiner, Percy Weasley will take Jeremiah Lownsten's place. Though, take further note, that under the circumstances that Mr. Weasley has no law degree, Mr. Lownsten will act as counselor. And Finally, I hereby call a five minute recess in which Mr. Weasley may make himself known with the circumstances of this case."  
  
The deputy nodded, moving back into his place as the judge rose, and left the room. Moments later, the hubbub of whispering voices rang out, and Draco moved off the stand, to the waving of his head of house.  
  
He sat down on the bench, and exhaled deeply. Severus put a comforting hand on his shoulder, unsure how to pass on confidence. He hated this part of his job- showing emotion in order to help others- his students. It was the exact opposite of what he himself was, and it called for total patience, and warmth, to which he barely had.  
  
Draco shook his head sadly, continuing his deep breathing as he felt the hesitant comfort from the hand on his shoulder. Looking up, he stared moodily into his potion master's eyes.  
  
"What's going on? It's barely been 15 minutes into this session and they've already switched interrogators- to a Weasley, no less. Am I not doing the right thing?"  
  
The older man looked down at him gravely.  
  
"I am nowhere near the authorization to tell you that your choice was correct. That is for you to decide. The outcome is always pending, changing variably, and never once can one be certain if today's difference will be relevant tomorrow. I have no say on the matter, but, however, I ask you to think of this. Think how much you're being here, whatever you may say today, will have as impact on the population tomorrow, whether it counts or not."  
  
He looked down on his student, unsure how his words were reacting on the platinum-haired boy. The boy wore a look similar to Severus' daily mask of unreadable expression. That thought did not settle well in his stomach.  
  
Draco stared at the floor, exploring the possibilities of what his Professor had said.  
  
'If I help to prevent father from harming anyone else, I may be a hero. Be like Potter, with his fame and celebrity, although I've never understood why he claims he doesn't want it. I can assist to prevent the rise of Voldemort, although I'm sure The Dark Lord can find some other faithful assistant- presuming that they have the same wealth as father, to afford all the costs that The Dark Lord requires. I can save the entity of the Wizarding world, though that still leaves me with all the Death Eaters who'd like my head on a pike.'  
  
He shuddered at that thought, the blackness of the Death Eaters and their grip on his existence chilling him to the core. He was immediately called to the present, when a black clothed arm waved itself in front of his eyes, making him gasp and look up, to find that the judge was returning, and that all eyes were on him, awaiting his return to the chair at the front of the room.  
  
He sighed deeply, trying to catch his breath, and returned to the chair that with all it's leather plushness, still seemed foreboding. He felt a little better with his Professor's small insight, but it still ached to have to put himself in danger for the sake of putting his father somewhere where he could not harm others.  
  
He sat in the chair and watched as Percy Weasley approached the stand. He still showed his superior confidence which caused Draco to nearly sneer, his thoughts in a danger zone of his temper.  
  
'Why is it always the Weasleys? Can they never leave me be? And must they always display that horrid self-assuredness wherever they go- except for Ron, of course?! I loath them.'  
  
Percy walked forward, leaving about 4 feet between himself and Draco, staring intently at the young man before him.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy, err, Draco, may I ask, what does The Dark Lord's plans entail? And what does your father have to do with these procedures?"  
  
Draco sighed. Now these were the questions he'd come to answer.  
  
"Well, Voldemort planned much. The most recent plan of action was to get into Hogwarts, and into the Chamber of Secrets. There are supposedly, unknown rooms in there, and can only be unlocked by Voldemort himself. He also planned for a surprise attack on Dumbledore, but The Dark Lord is most unpleased at the moment by the Muggle girls who happened upon the Middle Earthmen." Another Deep breath.  
  
"The Middle Earthmen were sent to Hogwarts, to use their blood to unlock the wards of the castle. The King's blood would be useful because he is of an ancient group of beings called "The Dunedain" whom are gifted with enormously long life. Royal Blood seemed to be a key in the factor. Next, came the elf. He himself was also Royal, and a warrior. You all know that elves are immortal, and therefore, their blood adds more potentcy. And Finally, the Warrior. He is- or was, the Steward of Gondor's son. He was captain of the guard and supposedly held some major qualities that The Dark Lord deemed necessary for his plan, and the man was brought back. Father was made to organize the kidnapping of these three men, as well as arrange it so that they may rest hidden in the castle- although I really don't know how well that managed."  
  
'Now comes the hard part.'  
  
"He made me make sure that the men remained hidden, that they were alive, and they were not pampered or anything in any way. The only order that I did not properly follow was not to feed them. I fed them every day, making sure that they drank water, and remained somewhat healthy. I even conjured up a chair from time to time to help them better. I felt sorry for them, and no matter what I said to Father, he would not listen."  
  
Draco finished up with his eyes facing the floor. He couldn't believe he'd just said that. As he raised his eyes, he glanced at the judge. She sat, looking stricken. Looking past her to the room surrounding him, he saw that most of the court possessed the same expression. It seemed like eternity before Percy regained his composure.  
  
"Draco... err... first of all... what do you mean by 'Brought back'?"  
  
Draco looked at him and shrugged.  
  
"You know, made him come alive again... they revived him or something. I don't know; I wasn't there for that."  
  
Judge Teogler gasped. There was a bunch of murmuring in the room as someone yelled "So it is true, then! They've mastered a way to bring back the dead!"  
  
Judge Teogler called her court to order and silence. She motioned for Percy to continue. He straightened himself out, although his face has lost some of the coolness in his face.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy. Did you ever participate in your father's activities voluntarily?"  
  
Draco's head shot up, his face demonstrating clear disbelief.  
  
"No! I followed instructions, for fear of losing my life from The Dark Lord. That's it! Following instructions! If it's a crime to be obedient and respectful to one's parents, then I am guilty. I did as I was told, and when I grew older, I began to slowly disintegrate my involvement. I could not full out quit, as an act that rash would make me lose my head, in the physical sense of the word."  
  
Percy nodded, as though in complete agreement. He persisted.  
  
"How indispensable was your father to The Dark Lord? Could be classified as 'priceless'?"  
  
Draco thought on that for a minute.  
  
"In a form of the word. My father never bothered to have someone else do The Dark Lord's bidding, preferring to do it himself, making himself seem essential. He made sure that everyone paid their respects to Voldemort, using only the manners used for when addressing Royalty. A bloody suck up, if you ask me."  
  
More hushed murmuring. Percy once again continued.  
  
"How often was your father involved in every one of He-Who-Must-Not- Be-Named's plots?"  
  
Draco thought for a moment on that one two, thinking as earliest as he could.  
  
"Well, from what I'm deducted, nearly every Death Eater attack or disappearance, if not all."  
  
Percy nodded.  
  
"Have you any exact dates?"  
  
'This is what I came to talk about.'  
  
He'd put a lot of thought into this, and knew exactly what he was going to say.  
  
"Well, there was a young couple when I was younger, around the age of 5, that I came across and, a few days later, I remember entering the study, and seeing my father using the killing curse on them."  
  
It still hurt to talk about that. The thrashing he'd received after he'd run to his mother screaming still irked him to no end. He could still remember every single slap of the leather strip across his back, and remembered how he hadn't cried during any of it. He never made that mistake again, though. No, he refused to piss off his father until he could better deal with the consequences.  
  
"As for the first attack on Harry Potter and his parents," he continued, determined to finish this, "I am still unsure of whether my father actively participated. But, I do know that he was one of the people behind all the attacks on Harry Potter since his acceptance to Hogwarts."  
  
'There. That's said. Maybe I can get off of this bloody thing.'  
  
He moved uncomfortably, suddenly unable to be at ease in the chair.  
  
Percy Weasley looked up at the Judge and she nodded. He went to the desk where he'd left his papers, and sat down, waiting for Teogler's verdict.  
  
"Court is in recess for 20 minutes as Draco Malfoy will proceed off the stand. Court is adjourned."  
  
People left the room in search of refreshment as Draco stood up, bracing himself on the railing in front of him, unsure if his legs would be up to functioning. Before he knew what was happening, however, he felt a hand move to his shoulder, stabilizing him. He looked up, into the black depths of Snape's eyes, who now held his arm around him, as though comforting some small boy. Draco fumed.  
  
Shrugging off the offending hand, he began walking from the courtroom, latching onto all available surfaces that were sturdy and eventually made it to the doors. Stepping through the doors, he nearly threw himself into the bench outside.  
  
'I can't believe that's over with. And I hope that they do not expect me to come back in when father's in there. I won't. They can't force me, and I will never give them my permission. I'd rather let Voldemort kill me than wait around with Father's wrath.'  
  
He sighed miserably, and briefly acknowledged his Professor who sat down beside him, while beginning to rub his temples, trying to eliminate the headache that was beginning to throb.  
  
"Here, drink this."  
  
A vial of some red potion was waved in front of his face, but, even through the stopper, Draco could tell that it would taste awful. He looked up at his Head of House, showing the man his dislike.  
  
Severus smiled, an eerie twitch of the lips that makes the viewer unsure whether the man had actually smiled or not.  
  
"I assure you, Draco, that I'm not out to poisoning you. It's merely to alleviate your headache."  
  
He waved the bottle in front of Draco's face again, annoying the platinum haired teenager to snarl and grab it before it dizzied him further. Pulling the stopper out, he downed the contents in one go, refusing to taste it. He handed the empty bottle back and flashed a small smile to the black haired man beside him to show his gratitude and immediately felt the potion activate. He felt better instantly.  
  
"Come, Draco, let's go find some place quieter to sit. I'm assuming that court will be running again shortly, and I doubt that you will want encounter your father."  
  
Draco nodded, grimacing and causing him to sink further into depression.  
  
Severus led them to a small waiting room, close by enough to hear if they were called, and began shuffling through the many magazines.  
  
Moments later, Draco could hear footsteps rounding the corner, approaching the hallway for the courtroom. Seconds after, Lucius Malfoy stood with two guards, waiting to be admitted.  
  
Draco clung to the wall and tried to duck out of sight, but Lucius, during his exaggerated yawn and perusal of the hall, spied him.  
  
"DRACO!!!!" his voice boomed throughout the halls.  
  
Draco hid behind the wall, knowing that his father knew full well what Draco's presence signified.  
  
"DRACO! Insufferable PRAT! HOW DARE YOU DEFY ME! You're no better than those filthy mudbloods! How dare you! I've given you everything! And this is how you repay me?! Watch out boy! WATCH OUT!!!!!"  
  
Doors could be heard shutting, and suddenly there was silence. Draco curled into a crumpled heap on the floor, around the corner, shaking nervously.  
  
Severus approached him cautiously, unsure how to proceed. Gathering the boy up, he led him to a chair and sat him down, trying to instill calm into the trembling body.  
  
It was 2 hours later, that Draco heard his name called, and stood up, steeling himself for the outcome of his father's trial. He'd tried to calm himself down, and after the first half hour of trembling violently, he'd finally managed to control himself.  
  
He now entered the room, and discovered half it's original occupants gone.  
  
Judge Teogler still sat in her chair, though some audience, prosecutors and other people were gone.  
  
She smiled down on him, once again, a twinkle in her eye.  
  
"Draco Malfoy, Your father has been sentenced to a lifetime in Azkaban. His crimes and deeds are most foul and will cause him to endure what his fellow Death Eaters have been suffering. The court offers it's 'thanks' in regards to your testimony, for we know that it was not an easy thing to do. Society is in your debt."  
  
Draco stood, his eyes transfixed to the desk he stood behind, unsure how to proceed. He'd known that his father would be sent to Azkaban, most assuredly for life, but, perhaps it actually took it to happen for it to finally sink in.  
  
He made no movement, and no words could be heard uttered from his mouth.  
  
Judge Teogler, taking that as a sign to continue, went on to tell him that his father's assets and mansion went to him, that his mother's possessions were also his, and that he would need a guardian. Not only that, but she informed that due to his assistance, any former charges against him would be omitted.  
  
He spaced out, at that point, still drawn to the fact that he was completely alone in the world.  
  
'Maybe that's why I kissed the mud- err... Chime. To NOT be alone.'  
  
Where had that thought come from? He blinked repeatedly at that idea, paling slightly at the implications he'd caused when he'd kissed her. What had he been thinking?  
  
'What did I have to go and do that for? Surely I don't want a... err... Chime... around?'  
  
He'd definitely have to get used to the fact that they shouldn't be called 'mudbloods'. And perhaps some other words should disappear from his vocabulary, too.  
  
'I've definitely corrupted myself.'  
  
It was only when he felt himself being ushered from the room, that he thought about all that the judge had said. He'd get everything. His father had always thought his son loyal to him, so he had given him everything in his will, and though the man was not dead, it was just as well, for a life in Azkaban was the equivalent of death. The only person he'd have to worry about now, was his new guardian.  
  
New guardian. Now that struck a nerve.  
  
'What do they think me? An invalid? That I need a baby-sitter? And who would this alleged 'baby-sitter' be? Surely they know that I can't go to one of father's friends. I'm sure they'd love to get their hands on me, anyways. It's only a matter of time before-'  
  
It took a moment to register that he was being shaken. Hard.  
  
"DRACO! Focus, boy!"  
  
Draco looked up, his face complete confusion. His Professor stood in front of him, leaning forward with a hand placed on each shoulder, carefully shaking and calling his name. Seeing that his trance was released, he was let go.  
  
"Draco? Are you all right? Perhaps we need to get you where you can rest."  
  
Draco nodded sullenly, still peeved at the thought of a 'guardian' and that his own Professor had called him 'boy'.  
  
They reached the hotel, and began packing up their things, Snape declaring that Draco would feel more at peace within his own personal chambers.  
  
'Not likely. With all those crazed Middle Earthmen and mud- girls, I'm liable to stay awake for the next few years.'  
  
As they packed their belongings, Draco calmed. In fact, he was calmed so much, that he felt the urge to ask just 'who' his new 'guardian' would be.  
  
Snape looked at him, his eyes softening slightly, and attempted a look of casualness.  
  
"Well, since you have no other relatives, the courts were looking for someone who could provide relative security. So... therefore... I've, err... volunteered for the position."  
  
Draco watched the man, his mouth a fine line. Unsure what to think, he continued to pack, hastily throwing things in his bag.  
  
"So. That's it, is it? You're to be my new baby-sitter?"  
  
Severus stopped, stiffening to his full height.  
  
"I assure you, Draco, that you will not be regarded as a child. I am merely here to guide you, from now on, and not to throw you behind a prison. Besides, I thought it better me, than the foster home as they'd been arguing for."  
  
Draco froze.  
  
"Foster Home?"  
  
Snape blinked, confusion etched into his face.  
  
"Yes, Draco, foster home. I'd hoped that you'd paid attention. They wanted to send you to a foster home. Actually, it was the Weasley's, I might add. So, I decided that I might as well do the job."  
  
Draco stood immobile.  
  
'The WEASLEYS???!!! Who would think to send me to the WEASLEYS??!!! I bet it was Percy, the little suck up that he is. He probably wants some of my wealth for his family. Damn red haired penniless freaks. I suppose a life with Snape is not so bad in comparison.'  
  
With that thought, he finished packing, and followed his Professor back to the ministry, where they'd be sent home with a Ministry vehicle. 


	24. GoodBye

Well, I'm finally starting to close up this thing, though somehow I'm doubting that it'll end within the next chapter. So um, yeah. Disclaimer: It goes the same as the other pages- they aren't my characters. [Personal note: Wonka, I hope your better and safely out of the hospital. And err... Well, let's call you lump for the moment cuz I'm still pissed at you- Lump, grow up and think about what you're doing.  
  
Everything was still and quiet for the next few days. Boromir recovered quickly with Madame Pomfrey's attentions. He was up and about the next day, refusing to spend more time than necessary attached to his bed.  
  
Classes went on as usual; Chime and Anna placing as much concentration on their studies as possible without achieving the status of 'geek'.  
  
Chime's detention was not so bad. Since Snape hadn't been there, Professor McGonagall had taken over, forcing her to polish the trophy case with two big oafs- Crabbe and Goyle. She had an immediate dislike for them and was not even sure that they could talk, let alone think, and was somehow not surprised that they were Draco's goons- or used to be, as it were. They were on their own now, and that's what landed them in detention.  
  
The girls spent amiable evenings with the middle Earthmen. They spoke of their day, the men's joy at being able to return home (though Boromir would not speak much), and of their contentment for having made each other's acquaintance.  
  
After nearly two days of peaceful silence, it was then that Draco returned, though he quickly locked himself in his room, only leaving for the bathroom, for meals, or classes. And all in utter silence.  
  
Though Chime had promised herself no involvement with the Malfoy boy, she found herself wondering about him, hoping that he was alright.  
  
She knocked on his door occasionally, both hoping and dreading the opening of the door, but it never happened. There was never any annoyed retort from the room, and apart from the occasional slam of a book, there was no sound whatsoever.  
  
It was a week after Draco arrived home, and the day that the Middle Earthmen were supposed to go home was fast approaching. During that week, Chime had suffered the cleaning of the potions classroom as her detention, as well as the pain of writing a letter to her parents. It was not the loveliest week she'd had.  
  
It was on the final night that they were to remain, that they found themselves comfortably sitting around the fire, with no one saying much. Anna had gone back to her dorms for the night, and Legolas had gone for a walk.  
  
Chime had watched him for the past few days, noticing the restlessness of being cooped within the castle displayed in small twitches, or a fair bit of pacing. She'd suggested taking a walk, and he'd readily agreed. So, for the past few nights, he'd walked Anna back to her dormitory, and continued to scale the castle, using his sharp elven hearing to outmaneuver Mr. Filch and Mrs. Norris.  
  
That final night, all was silent in the room, other than the crackling of the wood in the fireplace, and the soft breathing that Aragorn, Boromir, and Chime made. Chime absently pet the feline in her lap, for it appeared that even Twiglefix did not wish to take part in Draco's fowl mood.  
  
After a few minutes of silence, Aragorn excused himself for the need of a washroom break, leaving Boromir and Chime alone. Chime stared hard into the fire, trying not to speak to the warrior, and somehow, she could feel him doing the same. Perhaps it annoyed Twiglefix, or perhaps the cat just wanted to reconcile differences, for the feline leapt from Chime's lap to Boromir's, clawing the girl as it jumped.  
  
"Bloody Cat!" yelled Chime, waving a bloody hand around and putting it in her mouth to suck on the wound.  
  
Boromir stood up, dumping the cat to the floor and leaned forward, gently pulling the wounded arm from the girl's mouth. He examined it, and after a few moments, he sighed.  
  
"It's not bad. By simple means of a bandage, we could mend that."  
  
Chime glared up at him.  
  
"Thanks, but I knew that. I knew it wasn't the end of the world."  
  
Boromir looked down on her, his eyes wide with surprise.  
  
"I'm sorry, my lady. I meant no offense. I was merely saying that we should get a bandage on that."  
  
Chime continued to glare at him, her eyes still unwavering. She wasn't sure why she continued to act as though he annoyed her, for he didn't; in actuality, he was trying to help her. Her face softened slightly at the thoughts running through her mind. He. Was trying to help her? What had the world come to?  
  
She looked up at him, her face a mask, declaring neither war, nor peace.  
  
"I shall return. I am going to the infirmary." With that, she left the room.  
  
Not two moments passed, that he was at her side, matching her stride for quick paced stride.  
  
"What do you want Boromir?" she asked spartanly, making sure that he got the point of her disapproval.  
  
He smiled.  
  
"I am accompanying you. A maiden should not be walking the halls at night. It is a dangerous thing to do."  
  
Chime shook her head, her face taut with annoyance.  
  
They walked together, crossing hallways and mounting staircases, before they approached the infirmary.  
  
It was there that they heard smothered sounds. Boromir, being the warrior that he was, ordered Chime back, and slowly crept towards the noise. He leaned out past the corner of an alcove, and silently smiled. He motioned for Chime to come forward, and she too, crept forward, determined to find out what was so secretive and humorous.  
  
As she edged around the corner, the sight that met her eyes made her laugh.  
  
There, clutched in each other's arms and kissing passionately, was Anna and Legolas.  
  
Chime stood there awhile, transfixed to the spot, before falling into silent mirth as Boromir cleared his throat, and the two broke apart. Anna was breathing heavily and very flushed as she looked at the two intruders, and silently smiled at Legolas. Legolas, finding it very humiliating to be caught in such a predicament, grimaced.  
  
Boromir laughed outright.  
  
"It seems our elf has lost his touch. He could not even hear two mortals approach."  
  
Chime smiled at the man's humor.  
  
"Well, he was a little busy, you know."  
  
Boromir and Chime walked away, continuing to laugh, as they made their way to the infirmary. Once inside, Chime was once again subjected to Madame Pomfrey's scrutiny.  
  
"You see deary, I knew you were my newest worry. Now, take a seat, and let me see."  
  
Chime took a seat on the cot, watching helplessly as the nurse went about collecting bandages and what not. Boromir laughed quietly at her look of resigned restraint, and sat down in a chair, where he could watch her properly.  
  
Pomfrey returned, and quickly began applying medicated ointments to the wound, which, unavoidably, stung. Chime chanced a glance at Boromir during that point, and watched the empathy cross his rugged face.  
  
When it was done and fixed, Chime thanked the nurse, and hopped from the cot. Walking to the door, she held her hand out in a gesture for Boromir to follow her. He stood up regally, grinning broadly as though he was the victor of some unknown competition.  
  
They left the room, and began the trek back to their rooms, all the while, remaining in silence. To Chime, it was not an arrogant silence, for Boromir's face had lost his look of triumph, and was merely contemplative. Instead, it was a silence that was peaceful, leaving her time to tend to her thoughts, but not leaving her physically alone- which gave her comfort.  
  
They walked continuously, until they reached the familiar portrait of Sir McLan and Tiffany, the dragon.  
  
"Fandango," said Chime.  
  
Sir McLan sniffed and grumbled, taking sip of his tea. He looked down on them, eyeing them with distaste.  
  
"You, my dear, should never be allowed to choose passwords. It's a talent, my dear, and you have absolutely no talent for it. Tiffany, remind me to make sure that the Malfoy boy creates next weeks password."  
  
The portrait swung open at the end of Sir McLan's tirade, and the pair walked through, silently smirking. They entered the room and sat near the fireplace, looking about for Aragorn and Legolas, but saw that they were still on their own. Chime stared enthusiastically into the fire, feeling disappointed that this was their last night together, and yet, they were treating each other as though neither existed.  
  
She sighed. Looking at the Warrior before her, she began tracing in her mind the contours of his face. It took a few moments, but he finally caught her staring and smiled.  
  
"Chime... I want to talk about us."  
  
Chime shook her head, dislodging any remaining thoughts of him from her mind.  
  
"Boromir, I don't want to talk about 'us'. There is no 'us'."  
  
She could see that he forced the smile that he gave her.  
  
"Yes, my lady, I am well aware that there is no 'us'. I merely wanted reasoning behind everything."  
  
Chime shook her head again, emitting an aggravated sound.  
  
"Boromir, I'm sixteen. Yes, I know that where you come from, people are married by then," she began as she saw his objection, "But you're not at home. Here, we're still in school, and being teenagers for a little while longer. I like you... I admit that... but you're leaving, and I don't know what I want right now."  
  
Boromir nodded slightly, hanging on to her every word.  
  
"My lady, I understand... well, I understand about as much as my brain allows me to contemplate, but I have to ask- What if I were to remain? What if I stayed?"  
  
Chime sat speechless, immediately feeling the coming of a defensive argument against his suggestions.  
  
"Boromir, it's not going to happen. I can't guarantee that I will like you when I get out of school, and you don't belong here. You belong with Aragorn and Legolas in Middle Earth."  
  
Boromir's green eyes blazed.  
  
"But Chime, there is nothing for me in Middle Earth- the people there believe me dead."  
  
"But there's nothing for you here, either. I'm not here for you, nor will I ever be. Yes, I like you, but I don't 'love' you. I know you know there's a difference. Besides, I'm sure you'll have all the ladies back home swooning over the 'once dead and now wholly preserved' man that King Aragorn brings back."  
  
She laughed lightly, feeling the almost minuscule tug on her heart. No, she didn't love this man.  
  
Boromir was silent for a while, having turned his head back to the fire. It was then that Aragorn returned, bestowing curious glances between the girl and his undead Steward. Boromir smiled, and gestured for Aragorn to ignore the silence and sit down. Chime, feeling out of place, began to get up. Aragorn smiled, and pulled her back into the seat.  
  
"I see Legolas has found a new... friend..."  
  
Chime giggled while Boromir let out a blunt laugh. Aragorn, chuckling, continued.  
  
"You needn't have interrupted them, you know. They would have eventually decided that it was time for bed and head in their own directions."  
  
Chime glanced at Boromir, who sat smiling wryly at his king.  
  
"But my lord, we were merely surprised to see them in such a display!" mocked Boromir.  
  
Aragorn threw back his head and laughed.  
  
"Ah yes, but you ought to leave them to their fun. It is their last night together, and we know that Legolas is noble and would not hinder his honor with more... ungentlemanly acts."  
  
Chime and Boromir only smiled at each other.  
  
They all spoke happily for awhile, until Legolas finally returned. He was unbelievably flushed for an elf, and when he entered, he quickly lowered his eyes.  
  
That small act earned him another round of laughs. It was then that Chime saw the time on the clock on the mantle, and quickly deemed it time for bed.  
  
After a round of 'good nights' to the men, she headed for her bedroom. As she passed Draco's door, however, she noticed that the door was slightly ajar- leaving an open invitation to see what the platinum haired teenager had been up to the past few days.  
  
Draco lay in a wicker chair, his feet propped on an ottoman, sound asleep and an open book on his chest, left to the page where he'd drifted off to sleep. Chime, moved by the sight of him, entered the room silently, hoping she did not wake him.  
  
He was not wearing his usual robes, but instead, remained in his trousers, boots, and a white undershirt.  
  
Chime crept quietly, first picking the abandoned book off his chest and book-marking the page with a bookmark on the desk. She placed it there, and quickly began unlacing the boots.  
  
After she had them unlaced, she began slightly tugging them off, pulling a bit, and then stopping when he moved. She finally managed to get them off, and sighed as she straightened herself. She then went to the bed, and took the blanket off it and draped it over the blond, ensuring that he wouldn't be cold.  
  
After she'd made sure everything was in check, she quickly left the room, shutting the door completely behind her, and entering her own.  
  
There, in the safety of her own room, she prepared for bed.  
  
THE NEXT MORNING  
  
Dawn shone brightly the next morning, and the men in the common area were enthusiastic. The girls went with them to breakfast, and then to classes. The day progressed as normally as it had the past week or so, and the girls soon found it was dinner time.  
  
As the girls entered the great hall, they noticed that a few things had changed. The golden dinnerware was set out, and people were wearing their finest. As the girls and men took their seats, the Headmaster stood from his seat at the head table and raised his arms, allowing the room to drift into silence.  
  
"I know that it is unusual for a feast to occur in the middle of the term without it being a holiday, but today is to be celebrated. Our guests whom have been with us for several weeks now, are leaving. We wish them a safe journey. And now, for the feast!"  
  
The tables soon were covered with platters of foods, and the student body dove in.  
  
After supper, the tables were cleared, and the students went back to their common rooms to play, or finish homework. Dumbledore came and collected the men at that time, and the girls trudged back to Chime's common room. They sat in chairs, unspeaking- each passing silent comfort to the other.  
  
Around nine o'clock, the portal opened, and the Middle Earthmen, Dumbledore, and Snape entered.  
  
"We come to allow final goodbyes, girls," said Dumbledore, smiling at them.  
  
Chime nodded and glared at Snape, who was eyeing her with distaste.  
  
"Could you leave us for a few moments?" she asked tentatively.  
  
Snape frowned.  
  
"I hardly think you need to say 'good bye' in privacy..."  
  
Dumbledore raised his eyebrows at the scraggly black haired man and Snape sighed.  
  
Dumbledore and Snape left, closing the portrait behind them.  
  
Chime smiled weakly at the men before her.  
  
"I suppose this is it. Well, err... goodbye, all of you."  
  
She opened her arms and pushed them together so she could hug them all at once. She hated goodbyes.  
  
Aragorn hugged her the tightest and smiled as he let her go.  
  
"Remember what we've taught you, and we will always be with you."  
  
"Remember the insults you've been taught to better defend yourself," input the elf.  
  
"Remember me, and hope that I'm not dead," whispered Boromir across her ear.  
  
Anna was next in line for goodbyes, and soon, the Middle Earthmen were gone.  
  
It was about 10 o'clock when Anna decided that she ought to return to her dorm and spend some time on her own. She and Chime said 'good night', and Anna left.  
  
Chime remained in her chair, staring into the fire for another hour or so, when she heard the slight creak of Draco's door.  
  
Glancing up, she stared into soft eyes, watching for a hint of amusement or laughter in them.  
  
"I see they've left."  
  
Chime nodded meekly, watching as the teenager sat down in Anna's vacant chair in clothing similar to that she'd seen on him the night before.  
  
Malfoy glanced at her.  
  
"Thank you for the blanket last night. It got rather chilly in there."  
  
Chime raised her eyebrows in slight surprise, and lowered them quickly. Still, she said nothing.  
  
"I suppose it's rather empty in here without them."  
  
Chime nodded again. Draco looked at her sharply, a slight frown playing his lips.  
  
"Come now, you can't miss them THAT much. What, are you going to stop speaking altogether, now?"  
  
Chime scowled at him.  
  
"What do you care? Actually, I was waiting for you to tell me what the hell you wanted, because that seems to be the only time you talk to me- when you want something."  
  
He frowned.  
  
"That's not true."  
  
She sighed.  
  
"I'm not getting into this. And yes, it is true. I'm going to bed."  
  
She stood up, and began leaving as he caught her hand.  
  
"Hang on, you might want to hear what I have to say. The portal opens in 20 minutes, and you need my information."  
  
Chime froze and looked at him pointedly.  
  
He continued.  
  
"I have the jewel to activate it. I had to get someone to steal it for me, so my head is on the line, and if anyone sees me giving it to Dumbledore, my head will be off my shoulders within a second. You have to go give it to the headmaster, and tell him that it sits in the middle. He'll figure it out."  
  
He reached into the pocket of his trousers, pulled out a medallion, and handed it to her. The gold crusted engravings flicked in the firelight, and the large indentation of a dead tree shone in the middle. On the other side, embedded into the piece, was a red jewel, tinted with the shade of blood.  
  
She gasped as the cold object slid over her hands.  
  
"Are you going to stare at it all night, or give it to the headmaster?"  
  
She blinked a few times, nearly dropping the cryptic object from her grasp and looked at him, smiling.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
She left the room, and quickly made her way through the halls. Eventually, she reached the front entrance, and went outside, standing on the stairs and eagerly searching the grounds. Just by the lake, she could faintly make out 5 human forms, and she ran to them.  
  
She ran swiftly, clutching the still cold object. It seemed to have no reaction to body heat, ignoring the warmth to heat the object, unlike normal gold. As she approached the group, Dumbledore spotted her and paused in his sentence of whatever he'd been about to say.  
  
"Ms. Sinlar, what is it? You should be in bed."  
  
Chime ran until she stood directly in front of the old man.  
  
"Draco gave me something to activate the vortex."  
  
Dumbledore's eyebrows raised in question, but quickly lowered, leaving his eyes glinting with hidden mirth.  
  
Chime held out the medallion, silently thanking for its removal. Ever since she'd first held it, she'd been attracted to holding it, using her fingers to slide along its contours, and to touch the ruby.  
  
Dumbledore took the object, and smiled approvingly.  
  
"Did he happen to mention anything that would be of use?"  
  
Chime smiled dryly.  
  
"He said that it went to the middle. That's it."  
  
The old man nodded and turned away from her. He walked over to two Mallorn trees, and reached between them. Nothing.  
  
Snape looked up at the moon and announced that they had less than a minute for the clouds that blocked the moon's beams to move.  
  
A short moment later, the clouds dispersed, leaving a bright light to graze the space between the trees. It was then that everyone noticed a faint glaze to the space, and Dumbledore smiled.  
  
"This, ladies and gentlemen, is the way home."  
  
The hand that held the medallion reached out, and gently pressed into the faint glaze in the center. It was like a puddle, rippling around a stone. It oozed around the medallion, embedding the tree indentation outwards. They gathered close, and watched as the tree in the center immediately blazed to life. The picture of the dead tree became vivid, alive with lush grass at it's feet, and a large stone castle at it's sides.  
  
"This, I believe, is the time for final farewells."  
  
The Middle Earthmen grinned broadly, and thanked the other two men. Chime stood idly as they waved to her and thanked her again for her kindness. Aragorn tentatively walked through the portal first, watching as the glazed oozed over him like a thick liquid, and consumed him. Suddenly, he was on the other side, waving for the two others to join him. Legolas and Boromir went through, and soon, the trio stood waving, clearly happy, and then, they were gone. The moon's rays had gone behind the clouds again, thus closing the vortex. The medallion dropped to the grass, and Dumbledore picked it up.  
  
No one said anything as they walked back to the castle, the silence allowing them to ponder the wondrous sight that they'd seen.  
  
As Chime returned to her common room, she noticed Draco asleep on the chair where she'd left him. Shaking him slightly awake, she helped him to bed, and finally went to her own. Crawling into the comfort of the blue and silver linens, she sighed.  
  
They were gone. 


	25. Scurvying

---Blazing Hells. It took me this long for such a short chapter. I can't believe this. I'm suffering from an acute case of ... well... not writer's block, but a refusal to write. I knew exactly what to write, but couldn't bear the thought of sitting at the computer to write it. And now, with other projects on their way and the school year coming in strong... well... we'll see how it goes. THANKS DAR! I have a sudden fondness for closet painting now. Disclaimer: these aren't my characters. Except for 2. Whatever. Please Review!----

Time passed slowly for the girls. What days had been occupied with endless questions and conversations, were now empty. The evenings were worse, for Chime and Anna did not know what to do with themselves, and instead indulged into their studies, hoping to fill the empty and barren void.

Draco showed up occasionally, and joined them, sometimes with little or no conversation. They merely sat there, and caught up with their studies, finishing off the extensive amount of homework that the teachers of Hogwarts seemed to enjoy bestowing. When they had completed their work for the night, they sat around the fire, until the light died slightly, and the trio felt sleep gently start to call to them.

Anna left early each night, and was up at the crack of dawn each morning. Chime remained the same with her sleeping habits- going to bed at a reasonable hour, and getting up in time for a relaxed preparation for classes. Draco followed her lead, and they would both be ready for classes together by the time Anna came to walk Chime to class.

"Chime could I talk to you?" Draco asked one late night after Chime had arrived from the library.

Chime cast him a scrutinizing gaze and felt her brow wrinkle in confusion.

"Sure I guess."

She shrugged and walked over to a chair opposite of Draco, dropping her school bad next to her.

Draco sat there quietly thinking about what he wanted to say.

Chime waited patiently for a matter a moments, and then grew annoyed.

"Was there something I could help you with, Draco, because um, in case you haven't noticed, I'm a little impatient."

Draco raised his eyes to meet hers and smiled slightly.

"Well... I just wanted to say 'Thank You'."

Chime cocked her head to the side, making her ear face Draco to listen better.

"I beg your pardon?"

Draco rolled his eyes in a mocking way.

"Oh get over it."

Chime grinned.

"So what exactly am I being thanked for?"

Draco shuffled his feet slightly on the floor.

"You know... taking care of Twiglefix- who seems to be quite taken with you... and looking after the journal..."

Chime laughed.

"For that? First of all, your cat won't stop following me around. Reminds me of a stalker, actually. And as for the journal, well, that's nothing."

Draco smiled a wider smile and stood up.

"I have something for you- as a thank you gift."

He went to the table and took a small wrapped package off of it. He brought it back, clutching it slightly in his hands, as though afraid that either she'd reject it, or that it might get away from him.

He handed it to her.

She looked at it closely, and grinned, looking up at him with a surprised and happy expression on her face.

It was a tiny blue box, with a thick silver ribbon holding it together.

She took it out of his hands, and gently began to undo the ribbon.

"Aw. Draco, you didn't have to do this."

"I know."

She pulled off the ribbon completely, and as the material fell away, she took the lid from the box. Inside, was a pendant on a black leather cord to wear as a necklace. The pendant itself was nickel, with a large 8 pointed star in the middle touching a circle on the outside, and the core of the star was another circle with cut points facing the inside. It was completely engraved, with deep grooves for shading the points and circles.

Chime stared at the gift and found herself nearly at a loss of what to say. She felt the sudden urge to thank him with a hug, and stood up, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and pulling him into her embrace.

He didn't fight, but he didn't return the hug, either.

She breathed in the scent of him and whispered.

"Thank you. It's beautiful."

She let him go, and sat back down. He continued to stand there, shock clearly etched into his features.

"What, is a hug a bad thing?"

He shook his head slowly, as though clearing his mind. He took a step forward and took the pendant from her hand, and stepped behind her. He draped the necklace over the front of her head and clasped it at the back.

He walked around her and looked at her, as she gently fingered the silver coin shaped jewel.

She grinned up at him, and as she opened her mouth to say something, Draco swooped in and gently pressed his lips to hers. He kissed her 3 more times, feather light touches to the corners and the middle of her mouth.

He leaned back, and knelt- his knees on the floor, all the while staring at her with an inquisitive face.

Chime looked at him, her brow lightly furrowed, trying to figure out what was going on. She didn't know what he wanted, or if he was just playing mind games. It seemed that her notions about not getting involved with Draco were headed straight out the window.

He continued to look at her expectantly.

"Err... uh... Draco. That was unexpected."

He smiled slightly.

"Well..." he started, but seemed at a loss of words.

Abruptly he stood up and walked a few feet away, standing with an expressionless face.

"Do you still have the journal I gave to you to keep safe?"

Surprised, Chime looked up at him, nodding as she did so.

"Yes. It's in my room- Do you wish me to get it?" Chime asked getting up. Draco nodded.

Chime walked to her bedroom door, fingering her necklace as she moved.

She opened the door, and gasped at what she saw. Her room was trashed. Books and paper were thrown everywhere; her bed overturned. The contents of her wardrobe scattered on the floor and the paintings on the wall had been thrown, ripped or completely in disarray.

Chime rushed over to the side of her bed, by the wall where there was a secret panel in which she'd kept the journal. She said the panel's password and the panel moved to show the space empty.

"WHAT THE HELL!!!!"

Chime punched the wall above the panel.

Seconds later, Draco rushed into the room, eyeing everything with a wild glint in his eye.

"What is it? What's happened?" he asked, somehow dreading the answer.

Chime spun around and threw her hands in the air.

"It's gone! The bastards stole it!"

Draco shook with hidden fury. She'd just jeopardized everything.

"You let the journal get stolen? The fate of the world is back in the hands of the Dark Lord!" Draco growled, grabbing Chime's arm as she tried to back away from him.

"It wasn't my fault." Chime hissed trying to yank her arm away, only to have Draco tighten his grip.

Draco analyzed all the thoughts rushing through his head. At the top of the list, he was seeing Dumbledore.

"We're going to Dumbledore about this. You now have gotten everyone killed!" he yelled, dragging her out of the room, out the portal, and all the way to the Headmaster's office.

"Sesame Snaps," Draco growled to the gargoyle, which leapt aside to allow them access to the moving staircase up to Dumbledore's office. Draco threw open the door and burst into the room only to notice that the room was a mess. Chime stiffened in his grasp as she surveyed the room.

The desk was turned over, Fawkes' perch on it's side. Several of the portraits were slashed, though all their occupants now sat having tea with other portrait inhabitants.

Draco let go of Chime's arm to look around the office to find the headmaster. Chime rubbed her wrist where Draco had held onto, and began to examine the scene

All was quiet in the room, save for mild murmurings from the old headmasters.

Draco turned suddenly when he heard Chime scream. He rushed over to find her crouching down behind a shredded wardrobe, next to an unconscious Dumbledore, who had a nasty cut on his forehead.

Suddenly, there was a swishing sound behind them, and both Chime and Draco turned to see not only Professor Snape, but also a man in gold robes behind him. The man in the gold robes raised his wand and muttered something inaudible, and purple light shot from the tip- hitting both students squarely and causing everything to go black.

---PLEASE REVIEW! I know it's not the greatest... but this is about the second last chapter. I think.---


	26. The End of the Beginning?

** Guys, I'm really sorry. I nearly scraped this, and truth be told, just Life happened. It's been busy, and I think my writing style has definitely changed. But, thank you to those who have hung in along the way, it means a lot to me. One more chapter is in the works, an epilogue, if you will. Thank you for your amazing patience with this project, and I wish you all the best!

Please note: I do not own any of these characters, and in fact, most of them belong to J.K. Rowling, so please, just enjoy. **

"What do you believe happened, Snape?" Fudge asked, still holding his wand in his hand.

"I cannot say. Although it might have been best if you had not stupefied them," Severus growled, bending on one knee to check the status of everyone unconscious.

"Well, who can be sure what they were up to? You cannot deny that they were standing over Dumbledore. Is he alright, by the way?"

Severus checked the old man's pulse. It was still beating strong.

"He will be all right… Or so I hope."

"What was young mister Malfoy doing here?"

"I'm assuming he was here with Miss Sinlar, although the reason is still questionable."

"Are you certain he was not the cause of Albus' present state?"

"I cannot be certain, but without their wands, I doubt them capable of the deed."

"Can you trust Malfoy?"

"Minister, I assure you that Draco has no inclination whatsoever to do something such as this."

"And the girl?"

"I'm still reserving judgment for her, but the thought is mutual for both."

Draco stirred. His eyes fluttered open, first resting on Snape, and then past him to harden his gaze on the Minister of Magic. With Snape's help, he sat up and managed to get to his feet. Taking a moment to adjust himself, he finally stood the tall and arrogant Malfoy that he had been brought up to be.

"Minister Fudge, I must ask you, was it necessary to render two unarmed students unconscious?" he drawled, his eyes narrowed.

Fudge glared back.

"Don't take an unkindly tone with me, boy. You do not know whom it is you address."

Draco took a step closer. Snape placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping him from getting too close to the minister.

"On the contrary. I know perfectly well whom I speak to. I speak to the incompetent Minister of Magic who has been foolishly and stupidly allowing Voldemort to terrorize the wizarding community."

"Why you insolent…" Fudge trailed off, his knuckles white under the grip of his wand.

A moments pause, and then it appeared as though Fudge's restraint broke. "You will be sorry! I will personally see to your death!"

"You can't kill me," Draco drawled, his upper lip curling with a sneer. "You only dream of killing me."

Fudge shuddered with outrage, his entire body quaking. "Why you spoiled little-"

"ENOUGH!" interrupted Snape's voice, as his hand tightened on Draco's shoulder. The two stopped and glared at Snape.

"The two of you must put aside your differences for the moment. There is no time for this meaningless endeavor which will most assuredly end in bloodshed." He leaned in and whispered in Draco's ear: "I'd rather not see the Minister go to the Hospital wing and you be sent to Azkaban. Is that clear?" Before Draco could answer, Snape straightened and turned to the Minister. "Minister Fudge, since you have kindly taken my wand, would you care to _enervate_ Miss Sinlar and Albus?"

Fudge gave Draco a last narrowed look before pointing his wand at Chime and muttering the incantation.

Chime opened her eyes, trying to remember why it was that she had such an atrocious headache. It took a few moments, but hearing some scuffling behind caused the blurriness to fade and she turned to find Draco. "Draco? What happened?"

Draco's glaring look softened as he turned and focused on Chime.

"We found Dumbledore on the floor and went to see what had happened. While we were trying to see if he was all right, _this_ pain in the arse stupefied us," he replied, jerking his thumb at Fudge.

"You could have been the culprits!" spluttered Fudge in his own defense.

Draco rolled his eyes.

"Right. I'm sure two students- one of whom is just barely grasping the concept of magic- managed to knock unconscious the great Headmaster of Hogwarts."

Fudge's glare hardened. "Watch your mouth, boy."

It was Snape's turn to roll his eyes. "Minister, I am sure it must be time to wake Dumbledore, no?"

"Oh. Right, then." Fudge turned his wand to the crumpled heap of Dumbledore and muttered _'enervate'_.

Dumbledore opened his eyes and immediately sat up.

"Well that was interesting, wasn't it?" he said, picking himself up.

"Albus, what happened?" Snape demanded, trying to aid the old man in standing but only having his hands batted away.

Dumbledore's eyes glittered. "Well, there were two of them, though who they were leaves my mind in drawing blanks. They came up behind me whole I was my pensieve and-"

"HEADMASTER!" came a particularly shrill voice. "HEADMASTER!!!"

Snape rolled his eyes as Hermione Granger ran through the open doorway, all the while continuing her call.

After the fifth yell with no sign of stopping until someone answered her, Snape hissed at the brown haired girl: "Can this not wait, Miss Granger? Can you not see that now is not the time for one of your problems?"

"Now, now, Severus. It's quite alright. Let's hear her out," countered Dumbledore, staring at Hermione as she gasped for air. Snape's jaw snapped shut.

"Harry caught Peter Pettigrew and Bellatrix Lestrange."

Dumbledore stood and followed the girl through the doorway and out, leaving everyone else with the choice of following or staying.

Snape, for his own curiosity followed suit- Chime, Draco and Fudge right behind.

Arriving down in the dungeon area, they found a shield of sorts surrounding two small figures hiding under a cloak- the biggest no more than the size of a housecat.

Off to the side of the hall, just on the outside of the contained shield, sat Harry Potter with his back against the wall and Ronald Weasley, sprawled unconscious on the floor.

Harry attempted to stand up when he saw the oncoming group but could not seem to muster the energy. A hysterical Hermione ran to him, gave him a quick hug, and fell to her knees beside the red-head.

"Harry, my boy, what happened?" asked the headmaster, surveying the scene and finally resting his eyes on the raven haired boy.

Harry coughed and leaned farther back against the wall, as though an attempt to blend in with the shadows.

"I umm… saw on the map that Bellatrix and Peter Pettigrew were in the school…" Snape harrumphed at this and muttered something intelligible but sounding a bit like: 'I knew there was a blasted map!'

Harry continued: "So I followed them. They were running down the hallway in their real forms and Bellatrix seemed to be carrying a journal of sorts… I knew that even if Sirius was gone, I could still clear his name… and Pettigrew's caused too much trouble already, so… I tried to set up a shield to catch them, but Ron had a different spell, and he cast it before I could do mine, and he missed… so they knew we were there… And then they changed into their animagus forms… and I had to do something… So I put up some kind of shield. I don't really remember what spell I used."

Fudge took a step closer to the trio on the floor.

"Peter Pettigrew? Preposterous. Isn't he the man killed by Sirius Black years ago? Peter Pettigrew is dead and has been for many years. You shouldn't lie boy! What have done? Did you attack the Headmaster? Surely you don't think accusing a dead man is going to solve your problems? Your Godfather made short work of the chap."

Hermione stood up and marched to Fudge, her chin set out defiantly as she looked him in the eye.

"You idiot. Peter Pettigrew is not dead, nor has he ever been! You found his toe, not his finger, and he cut it off himself! He ratted out Harry's parents, and no thanks to your ministry protection, you've allowed the Dark Lord to rise again!"

Fudge narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth to speak just as Harry threw a comment from the wall.

"You'd best watch out, Minister. She's not the best person to get angry… she has a mean right hook."

Fudge looked past the glaring girl in front of him to look back at the boy-who-lived. His expression looked thoughtful for a second and then smiled a thin smile. To the surprise and suspicion of everyone present, he said:

"Yes of course, Harry. Miss Granger must have the information rightly so. I will look into this."

As Dumbledore canceled the shield and immobilized Peter and Bellatrix in their pet forms- Peter being in the appropriate form of a rat and Bellatrix in an ebony black cat with razor sharp claws, Severus Snape gazed down at the still form of Ronald Weasley.

"Mister Potter… perhaps you could enlighten us as to why Mister Weasley is unconscious when there is no sign of dangerous spells being cast at each other?"

Harry smiled a weak smile.

"Because he ummm… ran into a wall. The moment after he cast the curse, he saw that Pettigrew and Lestrange knew we were there, and he tried to get away from one of the hexes, but when he did, he ran smack into a wall."

A small smile crept onto Snape's normally austere face. "I always thought that most of the Weasley's injuries were self-inflicted. Well, that's one world mystery solved… perhaps we ought to find out what the devil is going on around here."

Draco stepped up beside him. "Or we could attempt to figure out why Longbottom is such an idiot. That mystery has always plagued me."

Severus Snape raised an eyebrow to his student. Draco shrugged and fixed his attention to the still balls of fur on the floor. "So what are you going to do about these two?"

Snape glanced over at the headmaster, unsure which procedures the man would want to take with the two Death Eaters.

Albus Dumbledore looked down at them all and paused. "Mister Malfoy? Would you and Miss Sinlar kindly get Madame Pomfrey."

Chime's eyes widened and she looked to Harry. "Uh-oh… You're in for one scary treat… That lady's crazy!"

Harry shrugged. "It wouldn't be the first time I've been in the infirmary. Somehow, I doubt it will be the last."

Snape and Draco snorted in derision. "Now that is a warranted notion."

Several minutes later, a harried looking Madame Pomfrey could be seen dragged by Chime and Draco, each other pulling on an arm. As Pomfrey arrived and looked at the scene, Dumbledore, the twinkle back in his eyes, smiled at her. "So glad you could join us so quickly, Poppy."

Pomfrey sighed and looked at Dumbledore. "Headmaster, the next time that you ask two students to come and fetch me, please make sure to remind them that I am human, and that I can walk on my own." That said, she walked over to have a look at Harry and Ron.

Dumbledore smiled. "Of course, mistress mediwitch… Now, how about we take this out of the hallway before more students happen upon us, hmm? Miss Granger, could you be so kind as to come to my office after you have seen Mister Weasley and Mister Potter settled in the Infirmary?"

Hermione nodded eagerly and began assisting Madame Pomfrey in collecting all of the wands and papers in the hall and levitating her friends down the hall.

Dumbledore waved his wand and a wisp of silvery light ejected from its tip and soared down the hallway and out of sight. Waving his wand again, he walked down the hallway, the two captives levitating behind him, followed by Draco, Chime, Snape and Fudge- who seemed to be having difficulties in choosing what to comment on.

As they arrived back at Dumbledore's office, he conjured up several more seats for everyone and gently sat in the one behind his desk, the levitating bodies of the Death Eaters settling on the floor in the corner of the room. He snapped his fingers and a tiny house elf appeared wearing a bright orange piece of cloth as a dress, and 2 baseball caps- one positioned normally, and one backwards. It's brown skin glowed in the dim lighting of the room. "Yesus, Masters Dumblydore, sir?"

"Fensom, we will all take a spot of tea, if you don't mind. And bring four more cups as I'm certain we will have more company shortly."

The houseelf nodded and popped out of sight.

Dumbledore turned to Chime and Draco. "Now, I would like to know everything that you know about tonight."

Chime and Draco exchanged looks and stepped forward, taking a seat in a large chair that easily sat both of them although they sat close anyway. Draco spoke first. "I kept a journal of all the deeds and plots that Voldemort came up with. I assumed my father didn't know about it… I guess I was wrong… I gave it to Chime for safekeeping… When I asked her to check on it tonight, we found her room ransacked. The journal was gone. We came to your office to talk to you about it, and we found you unconscious on the floor."

While Draco had been talking, Snape and Fudge had sat down in two of the other chairs, and the house-elf had arrived with a tea set, some extra cups, and two plates of biscuits. With a _pop_, it disappeared.

Dumbledore magically poured five cups of tea and levitated each one to a person in the room, using his wand to float the milk and sugar from person to person.

As the milk reached the last person, Hermione Granger tentatively poked her head through the doorway. Dumbledore looked at her, and everyone else turned their head.

"Ah! Please do come in Miss Granger. We have been waiting for you." Hermione slowly entered the room, unsure of herself under the gaze of so many wizards.

An extra chair appeared and as Hermione slowly sat on it, a cup of tea floated to her, milk and sugar not far behind.

"Now, Miss Granger, we are aware of what happened tonight, but I think that in order for the Minister and others present", at this Dumbledore inclined his head at Chime and Draco, "to understand, we need to start at the beginning. Could you explain the events that occurred during your third year?"

Hermione sat ramrod straight and stared at Dumbledore, her brown eyes wide. "Sir?"

Dumbledore settled a calm look on her. "We had a guest on the premises, did we not?"

"I'm not sure what you mean."

"That year there was a prisoner escape from Azkaban- the first of its kind- a feat performed by none other than Sirius Black. Can you confirm this?"

Hermione visibly gulped and her eyes flitted from Dumbledore to Minister Fudge and back again. "Well, yes sir, but-"

"Good. And did you not encounter him along with mister Potter and Weasley in the Shrieking shack?"

"Dumbledore! What kind of school have you been running here?!" cried Fudge. "Letting students be attacked by escaped villains and that Werewolf! I should have you removed!"

Dumbledore turned his old wizened face to the Minister and raised a white eyebrow. "Minister, if I may, there is a reason I bringing this up. I would like to clear the name of Sirius Black and need you to witness this testimony."

Fudge began to turn a shade of purple as he considered how he wanted to respond. "Very well, carry on. Let's hear it," he said at last, his voice a dull murmur to the obnoxious regular tone.

Hermione leaned back slightly and breathed out as though in relief. "Well, yes sir. At the Shrieking shack, Sirius Black was there. At first," and at this she stared hard at Fudge and then back at Dumbledore, "we thought he was there to kill Harry, but then, he stole a wand and made Ron's rat abandon its animal form and turn into Peter Pettigrew. You see, Pettigrew had been hiding out as a Weasley family pet until he could return to his real master, Voldemort." At the Dark Lord's name, the Minister Flinched. "We were going to turn him into the authorities, but then he got away, and so we couldn't clear Sirius's name. But now that Harry's caught him again, Sirius Black can be freed of all it all!"

Minister Fudge's hand was visibly beginning to shake as he listened to the story, and as Hermione ended her story, he put down his tea cup to stop the rattling of his cup on the Saucer.

"That is quite a lively story that you have woven, Miss Granger, but I fail to see how such a thing is possible when Sirius Black clearly killed Mister Pettigrew and all the authorities were able to find was his finger."

"It was his toe, Minister! Make Peter regain his human form! You'll see!" Hermione was off her chair, tea cup slamming onto the Headmaster's desk.

Dumbledore looked thoughtful. "Yes of course. Let us de-animagi our guests, shall we?" With that, he flicked his wand at the two petrified animagus in the corner and as the group watched, the two animals slowly stood on hind legs and began to grow, shedding fur and animal characteristics until both were fully human. Not a second passed when Bellatrix charged at Chime, where she could see a wand poking from the girl's pocket. However, before she could grab it, Snape and Dumbledore stupefied her until she flew off her feet and back to the corner where Peter Pettigrew remained, rat-like teeth and hands in a rat paw position in front of him. Dumbledore quickly cast a shield charm that looked as though it might emit an electric shock to those who touched it.

"There now, Minister. If I'm not mistaken, that looks very much like Peter Pettigrew."

A layer of sweat appeared on the Minister's brow, reaching all the way up to his hairline. No words came from his mouth but his eyes swiveled from Dumbledore to everyone in the room, growing wider until finally, he squeaked: "Why yes, I do believe you're right. Certainly, certainly, I will have my men come in and they will perform the proper tests and we will get to the bottom of this."

Dumbledore nodded slowly, a cup of tea still in his one hand. "Yes, of course, I'm sure we will. I hope you don't mind, but I took the liberty of asking Kingsley Shacklebolt and Alistaire Moodie to assist you in transporting these two to Azkaban. I'm sure you remember all of the charges that Bellatrix has been charged with. I'm sure you'll agree that its best if we have extra protection for you. We can't have her escaping and harming the children."

"Yes… of course… the children…"

"Speaking of children, it is time to send these children to their rooms. The rest of the students have been restricted to their houses. Children, thank you for speaking with us." As Hermione, Chime and Draco took that as their cue to stand up and leave, Dumbledore looked to Draco and held up the journal. "Draco, my boy, would you mind if I held onto this for safekeeping?"

Draco shook his head and mumbled: "No, headmaster." And with that, the 3 students took their leave, splitting into two different directions as Hermione returned to Gryffindor Tower and Draco and Chime slowly plodded their way back to their private quarters. After entering the set of rooms, Chime went to the couch in front of the fireplace and slowly sank into its deliciously comfy cushions.

Draco went into his rooms and came out a moment later, a blue fur ball nestled in the crook of his arm. Without a word, he held out the sleeping kitten and placed Twiglefix onto Chime's lap. The cat stretched and pawed at Chime's arm, and as she reached to scratch the feline between the ears, Draco settled at the other end of the couch, sitting at an angle to watch her.

Several moments passed until Chime couldn't take the silence anymore. Throwing her head back, she avoided looking at Draco.

"Is it always like this?"

The corner of Draco's mouth twitched. "Like what?"

"Danger? Craziness?"

Draco laughed. "You've no idea what's happened in the world. If you think this is crazy and complete lunacy, then I almost wish that you've come to my house sometime during the summer months. THEN, things are rubbish. Welcome to the magical world."

Chime grimanced. "Why do you do that? I don't like to be talked down to, you know."

The smile disappeared from Draco's face. "I wasn-"

As Chime stood up, Twiglefix fell off her lap and onto the couch cushion beside her. "And why do you keep leading me on?! I'm not some floozy, you know."

"What's a Flo-"

"And another thing! Why the sudden change of heart about me? Huh? I'm still human! I'm still this... Muggle... girl that you first met and-"

Draco stood up so suddenly that Chime's mouth snapped shut and as he grabbed her shoulders, her eyes popped wide.

"I know! Alright?! I know. Blimey, you've no subtlety in you, do you? I thought you understood what I was going through. I thought..."

"You thought I understood?" Chime whispered. "Why would you think that?"

"I don't know... I just thought...you were pretty, and you listened to me when I talked, and you were nothing like what my parents always raised me to know you as. And my Father is gone, in Azkaban, out of my life for now, and my Mother is dead," he slid a hand through his hair, "and I know you wouldn't understand what it's like to be nearly orphaned, or to have my life, but you were there, and you didn't judge me despite how I-"

Chime wrapped her hands behind his neck and pressed her lips to his, which was an awkward position because his mouth had been open and mid sentence when she had decided to kiss him. After a few slips and sloppy motions, they fell into a locked position, lips over lips, until Chime finally broke away. They stared at each other breathing heavily until Chime gestured for them to sit on the couch. Draco sat down on the edge of the couch cushion, and Chime sat rigidly, angled towards him.

"I'm sorry. You weren't actually talking down to me, it just feels that way sometimes. And… what's between us is… I know your parents are- _were_- never like mine, but I do understand being left alone, with no one except one person… or cat… to make things feel like home. You're a great guy, though I really don't know much about you. But… I guess I'd like to try… if you're willing to go slow. I've never really had someone interested in me before, and, if I've kinda mucked things up around here so far…"

"There's been a lot of distractions…"

"Yes, thanks, that's right."

"I'd like to take it slow…"

"Good… Well, then that's one thing settled." Draco leaned back into the couch and Chime took that as her cue to do the same. They sat awkwardly for a moment or two until Draco did a fake yawn and stretched his arm over her head and settled it across the back of the couch and her shoulders. She looked at him with a smirk. "Its funny how all boys somehow know to do the same move on a girl, magic world or not."

"Move? It's not a move."

"Trust me, you're better off telling me how pretty I am."


	27. Epilogue

Dear Journal,

Good Day,

Entry #1

While under normal circumstances, I would refrain from writing such an entry, but it has been Chime's encouragement that has led me to this… potential disaster. I used to write of the terrible things that my father did to appease the Dark Lord, but after my father was trialed and sent to Azkaban, I couldn't bring myself to write anything. Chime has changed things in my life, and in the last few years that she has been in my life, the pain has slowly ebbed away.

Oh, that's not to say that we haven't fought since she moved into the manor with me and graduated Hogwarts- on the contrary. In fact, I sometimes think that we fight because of it- independent and under toeing blunt woman that she is. I guess I love her because of this, but if she asks, then I'll promptly deny it- I need to keep some Malfoy pride!- I'm sure you understand (of course you do, you're my journal.)

She gave me you, you know, in her sentimental women ways of re-enacting our first present exchange- rather, come to think of it, I don't think I got much out of that 'exchange'. She is preoccupied these days with matters of state- thinking she can become the next Minister of Magic, I'll bet. Mother would laugh at this, while Father would… Father… As much as I enjoy this new life, and the wonder that is Chime, I do miss him. Father was never cold to me, and did not teach me the facts of life in what he said, but moreover, what he did. He treated me as a son, raised as part of the well-bred, heavy blooded Malfoy heritage that can be traced through generations of strong wizards-our ancient heritage.

It was not wrong of him for wanting the best of me, nor the best for me, but it was his actions that were his undoing. I do not think he understood how much I loathed hosting The Dark Lord in our home, or how often Mother was frightened.

I visited him… in the beginning. Once he realized that I had no intention of planning his escape, however, he chose to ignore my presence and I found it to be a waste of time. While I would rather that he be confined to our home to live out his sentence, I know that he would not give up his addiction for power and would soon be plotting to overthrow our current Minister- Dumbledore. Granted, he is a meddling old coot, but with the Dark Lord vanquished for the final time by Potter, things seemed to finally fall into place, and I understand his lack of hesitation to take the position- with McGonagall at Hogwarts, himself as MoM, and Uncle Severus as Deputy, things simply became… rightened.

Uncle Severus comes for tea often, these days, and only lately has it seemed less of a check-up than a visit. I appreciate his dedication to my well-being, but I have since moved out of Malfoy manor, purchasing my own estate, and begun life anew. For Chime, I have suffered through the presence of Harry Potter, her friend Anna Thomas, and several more of the Gryffindor house, if only because they allow me to continue the snarky comments and give me back as good as I give. There is no malice anymore, something that I was always taught to use when it came to Gryffindors and Muggles alike, and I suppose that this new… group of friends, if you will, have adapted it into social protocol around me.

Friends. I never once thought I'd be friends with Potter and a Weaseley. I would have thought that enough fighting had occurred to ensure that we never agree to friendship, but its here, and at present, I am thankful for this. When all of your previous friends could report you to the Dark Lord, you watched your every word and action- though I never understand why I never became the cruel teenager I pretended to be- Crabbe and Goyle certainly weren't any different on the inside, but then, perhaps that's just because they were too bloody stupid.

With Potter being the muggle equivalent of a superhero, its become much more fun to attack his fame and fortune, as they cannot compare to the Malfoy wealth, and especially because he doesn't care that he has it. Just this morning I was able to ask if his HouseElf dressed him- which he promptly ignored and left me with another winning note in my pocket.

Since Black's exoneration, Potter has been thoroughly less touchy 'bout everything which lets me give him a bit of a go- Keeps the tongue sharp and the wordplay clever. Though, I guess I should feel something more than the occasional wince, him practically being family and all. I can't say that I'll actually accept him as family, but in the end, he will remain the last twig on a branch of family history.

Chime has been quoting some rubbish at me that 'you can't choose your family, but you just have to deal with them.' Where she gets this nonsense is beyond me, though I suspect I have these small tidbits of spouted wisdom from her parents- whom are the strangest muggles of all. After they coveted her when she left that first year for summer term, it was only at the last week of summer that Chime realized her parents really didn't intend for her to return for another year at Hogwarts.

She's most certainly got her mother in her, as she proved to be much more stubborn than anyone anticipated. I STILL don't understand how it is that she found me the day before we were to meet at Platform 9 3\4, but in any case, its been a treat to have her company around all this time. She is most certainly a rare find, and there is little illusion that I will marry her- the day will be of her choosing, of course, but for all of her muggle traditions, I do hope that I will be able to trust her not to do anything… strange. Just last night she told me that it was a 'nice night for an evening' and when she failed at brewing something, she said: "If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried." To be honest, I know not where she gets these bizarre sayings, but if all evidence returns that she is simply insane, I can only say that it runs in the family- look at Auntie Bellatrix; crazy as a loon, but managed to survive right to the end of the war.

… I guess that Sometimes I

With most of the dangerous wizards and witches behind bars or dead, the world will eventually calm down, and perhaps even become mildly boring. I hope that Medicinal studies at the University will aid me in understanding both Muggle and Magical healing properties- Chime says that there is a vast difference between raising your wand for a diagnostic scan and using an x-ray machine… I suppose she is right. In any case, I hope that this will give me the fundamentals to open up my own practice; I need something to occupy my time short of spending my family's money.

I suppose I should mention that Ginevra Weaseley and Granger showed up the other day with a bust they'd found of Great Grandmother Madeleine in the Room of Requirement. What they expected me to do with it, I'll never know. Last time I saw her, she had picked up a biscuit at tea time, nibbled, held it front her face, shook her hand like a dog with fleas and flung the cookie in whatever direction she let it go in. She then went on as though nothing had ever happened. I supposed I'll have to find a place for her somewhere in the manor…. It is technically where she belongs. With Family. Such a novelty, that particular item is.

Well, Book of useless information, you have had my attention for approximately 25 minutes longer than I was willing to give you. How therapeutic you have been is questionable, and the results will soon be known. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must be off to Gringotts to find a Goblin about a Ring in the family vault… I also have a proposal to plan. Perhaps we can continue this another time.

Adieu,

Draco.


End file.
